The Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Hamid Bobboyi, said the country has lost over 30 per cent of its teaching workforce in the past three (3) years without replacement.
Bobboyi, who made this known during a six-day training organized by the Kano State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, in collaboration with the commission for 30 School Support Officers, SSOs, on SMASE and Jolly Phonics in Kano, described the situation as frightening.
He said some of the teachers retired while others left the service without being replaced.
The UBEC Executive Secretary, however, commended the Kano State government for its proactive measures to recruit additional teachers and replace the retired teachers in the state while calling on other states to emulate the government.
According to him, "Nationwide, in the last 3 years, particularly beginning with the period of COVID-19, we have lost over 30 per cent of our teaching workforce. And it is very frightening. A lot of them retired, while some of them left the service without been replaced.
"So for Kano to be taking proactive measures in that regard is something that pleases me immensely. And I hope and pray other states should also learn from Kano and make sure that it can also take serious measures," he said.
Bobboyi also emphasized the need for welfare for the teachers, whom he said are critical to the development of future leaders and the country as a whole.
"The teacher is a very fundamental element in the entire ecosystem that we have. If you neglect the teacher who neglects the children, the country cannot develop. So we make sure, to safeguard the future of the country, we have to safeguard the welfare of the teacher so that he can also safeguard and make sure he develops the future generation that can take care of the country. In Nigeria, we have been making a lot of effort," Bobboyi said.
The UBEC Executive Secretary commended the teacher development unit for organizing the training for the teachers, describing it as a strategy that really works to ensure quality education.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary, Kano State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Yusuf Kabir, said the state government has approved for replacement of retired teachers in the state every three months.
He also said that to address overcrowded classrooms and decongestion, the state government has approved the construction of four classrooms in each local government area while putting in place committees per local government to enable them access performance to ensure a conducive environment for teaching and learning.
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"We have purchased teaching and learning materials to ensure smooth transmission of learning," the SUBEB Executive Secretary, Kabir, said.
Meanwhile, the 30 School Support Officers (SSOs), selected from across the local government areas, were trained to provide basic support to teachers handling the core subjects of science and mathematics to improve the performance of the students.
