President Buhari Promises 500,000 Graduates Teaching Job Soon

President Muhammadu Buhari has promised that 500,000 unemployed graduates and NCE holders would soon be recruited and deployed across the country to teach in the nation’s schools.

The President, who presented the 2016 federal government budget to the joint session of the National Assembly today, said that the recruitment of teachers for the schools is an emergency measure, to address the chronic shortage of teachers in public schools across the country.

“We also will partner with State and Local Governments to recruit, train and deploy 500,000 unemployed graduates and NCE holders. These graduate teachers will be deployed to primary schools, thereby, enhancing the provision of basic education especially in our rural areas.”

He said that as the government focuses on inclusive growth, it would be conscious of the current rate of unemployment and underemployment, saying that this is a challenge he is determined to meet.

The budget, the first since he took over the leadership of the country in May this year, is the platform for putting more Nigerians to work.

“I can assure you that this administration will have a job creation focus in every aspect of the execution of this budget. Nigeria’s job creation drive will be private sector led. We will encourage this by a reduction in tax rates for smaller businesses as well as subsidized funding for priority sectors such as agriculture and solid minerals.”

President Buhari said tha the 2016 budget, as outlined, is designed to ensure that the government revived the nation’s economy, deliver inclusive growth to Nigerians and create a significant number of jobs.

He acknowledged that the state of the nation’s economy has been a source of concern for many and that the situation has been further worsened by the unbridled corruption and security challenges which the nation has been facing in the last few years.

“From those who have lost their jobs, to those young people who have never had a job, to the people in the North East whose families and businesses were destroyed by insurgents, this has been a difficult period in our nation’s history, lessons that we must not forget or ignore, as we plan for the future.”

Looking at the 2015 Goodluck Jonathan’s budget as the nation’s President then, Buhari said that as at June 2014, oil prices averaged $112 per barrel but that as at today, the price is under $39 per barrel.

This huge decline, he stressed, is having a painful effect on the nation’s economy with consumption declining at all levels.

“In both the private and public sectors, employers have struggled to meet their salary and other employee related obligations. The small business owners and traders have been particularly hard hit by this state of affairs.

With such unpleasant economic climate, Buhari concurred, the confidence of many might be shaken, assuring however: “I stand before you today promising that we will secure our country, rebuild our economy, and make the Federal Republic of Nigeria stronger than it has ever been.

“The answers to our problems are not beyond us. They exist on our farmlands; our corporations; in the universities in the hearts and minds of our entrepreneurs; through the gallantry of our Armed Forces; and the resolute spirit of Nigerians, especially the youth, who have refused to give up despite all the obstacles confronting them.

“This Budget proposal, the first by our Government, seeks to stimulate the economy, making it more competitive by focusing on infrastructural development; delivering inclusive growth; and prioritizing the welfare of Nigerians. We believe that this budget, while helping industry, commerce and investment to pick up, will as a matter of urgency, address the immediate problems of youth unemployment and the terrible living conditions of the extremely poor and vulnerable Nigerians.” [myad]