Benue State government said the current recruitment of primary and secondary school teachers will be based on qualification, competence, and the capacity to offer quality services.
It said the goal is to make Benue children compete favourably with their counterparts worldwide and place the state on the global map in education.
This is even as the director-general of the Benue State Education Quality Assurance Agency (BEQA), Dr Terna Francis, informed that Governor Hyacinth Alia allocated 15 percent of the entire 2024 budget to education, which is the first time in history.
The DG, who disclosed this in an interview in Makurdi, said the days of mortgaging the future of the Benue child by playing politics with the recruitment of teachers as one way to settle political associates and other stakeholders are over.
He quoted the governor as promising to increase the figure every year until it surpasses the UNESCO benchmark of 26 percent.
The BEQA boss maintained that the agency will do a need assessment of teachers to be recruited to know the exact number needed in all subjects before embarking on any recruitment, which he said will be based on qualification and capacity to deliver. He added that this is not to witch-hunt anyone but to reposition the education system in the State for quality output.
According to him, “We are setting criteria and we are going to be precise and deliberate about the calibre of teachers we are going to recruit in Basic and Post Basic Schools; we will not in any way receive CVs from political associates or stakeholders on the basis of settlement, the era of using the future of our children for political patronage is over.”
Dr Terna also warned that no parent or caregiver should deny a child the rights to basic education on account of any levy ranging from the Parents Teachers Association or any levy whatsoever because basic education in Benue State, which is compulsory, is absolutely free.
“We are on the move to stop principals and teachers from putting an unnecessary burden on the pupils and students, which in turn mount pressure and burden on the learners, parents, and caregivers because we have discovered that these unnecessary levies are capable of discouraging enrolment.
“Governor Alia led administration is poise to make the Benue State education system, especially public schools, the best in the country and beyond so that parents and caregiver will willingly withdraw their wards from private schools to be enrolled in public schools because we will recruit the best of teachers and train them to get more knowledge in their various fields.
“As you can see, the governor wants the teachers to also get their rewards here on earth as he is working assiduously to ensure that every teacher upon retirement owns his or her personal house, and not only that, the governor has directed me, the BIPC MD Dr. Raymond Asemakaha and the commissioner for education and knowledge management Dr Fredrick Ikyaan to coordinate a loan scheme programme for teachers to help them access loans and pay under the period of 5 years at a very low-interest rate and through the scheme they can also send their children to study abroad,” he said.
While commending the governor for his tireless efforts to ensure that the Benue children are not only educated but also get quality education to compete with their counterparts the world over, Dr Terna promised that he is determined to justify the confidence reposed in him.
