The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has called on the Oyo State government to recruit more teachers into the public primary schools.
The Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission, Dr Hamid Bobboyi, gave the charge in Ibadan on Friday, as part of the 2022 National Personnel Audit (NPA) team’s recommendation to the state government.
Bobboyi represented by the Head of the NPA team deployed to Oyo State, Mr Muhammed Bello, an engineer said the need to recruit more teachers became manifest during the just concluded Personnel Audit Exercise in the state by the commission in collaboration with Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (OYO SUBEB).
He stated that the present shortage of qualified teachers was dangerous to the qualitative education the Governor Seyi-Makinde led administration is offering pupils in the state.
Bobboyi, however, commended the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board for cooperating with its Audit team in the conduct of the National Personnel Audit Exercise.
“We urge the Oyo State government to look into recruitment of teachers into the public primary schools in the State,” he said.
He pledged the commitment of the commission to look into other areas to move basic education forward in Oyo State.
He added that the National Personnel Audit exercise was a major activity in data gathering used in planning and development of education.
Bobboyi said that the commission discovered a lot of progress made, compared to the previous exercise.
According to him, “Though entry is still ongoing, we would give the Board updates on the list and give the State government accurate data in order to plan and develop basic education.”
He solicited the cooperation of other stakeholders in education in ensuring accurate data so as to know where every Nigerian child of school age was at any given time.
Responding, the Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Nureni Adeniran admitted to the acute shortage of teachers in the state.
Adeniran said the State Government is making efforts to look into fresh recruitment and replacement of seconded teachers in the state.
“We are aware of the shortage of teachers in our primary schools. The State Government under the leadership of our dear Gov. Seyi Makinde is making efforts to ensure the problem is resolved timeously,” Adeniran said.
He added that the state government will continue to collaborate with the Federal Government and other relevant agencies to ensure the public education sector in the State thrives.
Adeniran further said that school owners and proprietors operating illegally in the State would be made to face the law.
He warned such schools to regularise their registration by visiting the Ministry of Education, Ibadan.
He reiterated the Oyo State government’s commitment at revamping education in the state.
Adeniran, however, commended the National Personnel Audit team’s report on data of schools in the State, adding that the update will help the state in planning its education in the forthcoming fiscal budget. (NAN)