The Centre for Responsive Governance (CRG) has urged the Osun State Government to immediately begin the recruitment of teachers into public schools across the state.
The call was made in a statement signed by Comrade Ayodeji Ologun, Executive Director, Centre for Responsive Governance (CRG). He urged the government to fulfil its promise of recruiting 5,000 teachers and ensure a fair and transparent process.
The group stressed that the shortage of qualified teachers is affecting the quality of education.
The statement reads, “The Osun State Government should urgently recruit qualified teachers to address the existing shortage in public schools and improve the quality of education.
“This is crucial for ensuring adequate staffing and preventing further disruptions in the educational system.
“It is evil and it amounts to obtaining by fraud on the part of the state government that the job seekers paid to access the job opportunity and have seen no light in over a year.
“The Hallmark of a responsible government is to uphold promises and ensure that all process commenced are fulfilled in fairness and justifiably so.
“It is irresponsible of the osun State Government that since 7th of January 2024 that the state executive council gave the approval for recruitment, it has not seen the light of the day a year and a half after whereas other states like Oyo and Ondo who commenced similar recruitment have since completed it and the teachers resumed to their duty.
“The government should prioritize the allocation of appointment letters to those already shortlisted by them to fill the existing vacancies and stop making excuses and empty promises
“There is no doubt that the state is facing a significant shortage of qualified teachers across various subjects.
“This shortage impacts the ability of schools to provide quality education and can lead to overcrowded classrooms and increased workload for existing teachers.
“It is not enough to bask in the euphoria of improvement in the position of NECO or WAEC results of the state, deliberate moves must be made in quality investment in Education and that begins with recruiting qualified and competent teachers.
“Recruiting qualified teachers is essential for maintaining educational standards and ensuring students receive the necessary knowledge and skills.
“The government should prioritize the employment of individuals with the appropriate qualifications and experience.
“The delay in issuing appointment letters to shortlisted candidates is a cause for concern.
“The government should expedite the process of finalizing appointments and ensure that all qualified candidates receive their letters promptly. This will enable them to begin teaching and contribute to the education system.
“The ongoing shortage of teachers can lead to further disruptions in the educational process. Urgent recruitment will help to alleviate this issue and prevent any further negative impact on students’ learning.
“The state government should consider increasing the number of teachers to be recruited to meet the identified needs. It would be recalled that the state Government announced the approval to recruit 5000 teachers in February of the year 2024. The question then is why the delay?
“Additionally, the government should ensure that the recruitment process is transparent and fair, with all qualified applicants given equal opportunity.”