Christopher Isiguzo
1 July 2008
Abakaliki — When the federal government introduced the Federal Teachers' Scheme ( FTS ), to address the problem of scarcity of primary and junior secondary teachers all over the country, some states were already waiting in the wings to take full advantage of the scheme.
Before the introduction, most states were groaning under the burden of teachers' salaries. A good example was Umuahia North local government area of Abia state, which had been nicknamed "zero allocation" local government, as a result of the impact of teachers' salaries on its resources. Many states and local governments had even stopped complaining since their persistent complaint yielded nothing tangible.
If there are states where the intervention is having a salutary effect, barely three years down the line, Ebonyi, which offers free and compulsory primary and secondary education should rank among the first.
The low quality of teaching and learning in the public schools in Ebonyi State , even prior to the introduction of the free education policy was alarming. Some observers have therefore expressed happiness that the present universal basic education board has demonstrated efficiency in the management of the system.
One of the initiatives that have attracted commendation was the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, (MOU) between the Ebonyi State Universal Basic Education Board (EBUBEB) and the Ebonyi State University , (EBSU) for the training and re-training of primary school teachers in the state.
The chairman, Chief Austin Edeze said, "the programme is for three categories of teachers: those with teaching certificates like TC II, but have been overtaken by the wind of development; those without education certificates like Ordinary National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and Bachelor of Science degrees as well as teachers with NCE but who lack necessary competence in Information Communication Technology, (ICT)". The training, which the EBUBEB Chairman said would be a continuous exercise, is to be handled through the consultancy unit of the state owned University.
Prior to the announcement of a policy of free and compulsory primary and secondary education in the state, THISDAY gathered that public schools were looked upon as mere breeding grounds for maids and houseboys whose education does not rank highly in the minds of their masters and mistresses. There was a dearth of qualified teaching staff, poor remuneration and stagnation all of which translated to low teacher morale and standard of education.
To crown the very ugly scenario, content and curricula were outdated. Facilities were dilapidated just as public apathy helped to compound the sour image of public schools. Free education led to the problem of increased enrolment, putting pressure on available facilities and the teaching staff.
The promise of good education revolves around the quality of teachers. It has been discovered that dropout syndrome, parental frustration about public schools stem largely from inefficient teaching method and personnel. Through the recently organized campaign for the refocusing of child friendly school initiative programme, the UNICEF reminded Ebonyi and its UBE board of the importance of proper teacher- pupil relationship. The programme stressed the need for the pursuit of a better school environment, adequate educational materials, good sanitary facilities, improved infrastructural development, sporting facilities, acquisition of vocational skills, increased pupils enrolment and retention, as well as proper teacher- pupil relationship.
It was therefore not surprising that when the federal government introduced the Federal Teachers' Scheme, the state saw it as an opportunity to further improve on what already existed. A total of 1000 teachers were injected into the primary school system with an additional 120 teachers made available to the State junior secondary schools for the new nine-year curricular. Investigations by THISDAY revealed that though about 20 teachers out of the 1000 absconded, the distribution of the teachers among primary schools in the rural areas compensates to a great extent the inability of those primary schools to get teachers posted there.
A closer look at schools to which the products of the FTS were posted shows that such rugged terrains in the hinter land, earlier shunned by teachers, were adequately compensated. For instance the distribution showed that such educationally backward areas like Ikwo, Ohaukwu, Izzi, Ishielu and Abakaliki council areas had the greater number of schools and teachers serviced in the programme. In Ikwo for instance 84 primary schools got 210 teachers, in Izzi 80 primary schools received 130 teachers, Ohaukwu with 68 schools had 111 teachers while Ishielu's 46 primary schools got 67 and Abakaliki got 99 teachers posted to 48 primary schools there. The distribution of the teachers also indicated that Afikpo north (41 schools) had 63 teachers, Afikpo south (27 schools) received 46 teachers, Ebonyi council 34 schools 70 teachers and
Ezza north 43 schools with 89 teachers. For Ezza south, Ivo Ohaozara and Onicha council areas the schools and number teachers posted are 29/48; 12/20; 28/37 and 16/18 respectively.
The Desk officer in charge of the FTS in the state, Mrs. Josephine Nweke said every month the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) releases the sum of ten million as stipend for the 1, 000 teachers saying that the state government was yet to fulfill its obligation of augmenting that with 6, 000 per participant. "Well, I am not in a position to say why the government has not been making that counterpart fund available but all I can tell you is that we pay ten thousand per teacher every month while we return all unexpended money to UBEC,"
Nweke stated adding that all the participants are residents of the state .
However the desk officer recalled that between the months of November 2007 and January 2008 when the total sum was varied to accommodate the payment for additional 120 teachers sent to junior secondary schools, her office had been returning N220, 000 monthly on the average. Her words: "In February and March N170, 000 was returned; in December 2007, N220, 000 was sent back while for October/ November and September N440, 000 and N220, 000 were returned to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and receipts issued".
The desk officer disclosed that since the programme started, 120 participants absconded adding that UBEC have authorized the state Universal basic Education Board to replace the 120 positions with holders of the National Certificate of education, (NCE). She noted that the transparent manner in which the system is run makes it hard for funds to be withheld or teachers owed pointing out that she goes to Abuja to obtain cheques for the monthly stipends only when they are ready.
"Additionally we supervise the teachers to ascertain that they actually attend classes. That was how we were able to find out that 120 persons have absconded," she declared. From the benefit of the hindsight, it is very clear that the FTS programme has so far complemented the efforts of the free and compulsory education initiative in the state.
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