Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has reversed himself over planned competency test for teachers in the state, even as he recalled the 936 teachers who were sacked over certificate discrepancies and age falsification.
Governor Oshiomhole said, when he met with the teachers’ union and the Nigeria Labour Congress, that government’s earlier decision to conduct the competency test was borne out of its commitment to uplift the standard of education in the state and the discovery that some teachers were not qualified or up to date with recent teaching methods.
“Our insistence on the competency test must be seen in this light. However, having listened to all suggestions and consultations with various groups, government has agreed to set aside the competency or assessment test in order to re- assure Edo workers that it has no intention to sack anyone”, he said.
He said in place of the test, government would introduce training and re-training programmes for teachers and other civil servants with welfare packages during such trainings.
“On the teachers with falsified age declaration with criminal intentions to cheat, government has resolved to pardon them and retire those whose records show that they are above 60 years while those below 60 years are to return to the classroom with their names returned to the payroll and will benefit from the training programmes. Following investigation, the alleged ghost workers in Ovia North East LGA who were found to have actually been on ground will have their two months pending salaries paid,” he added.
Responding, the NLC, TUC, and NUT thanked the governor, saying the prolonged crisis in the leadership of the organised labour as it affects teachers and workers in the state would now cease. They promised to continue to support his administration. [myad]
