Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, announced on Tuesday that more than 32,000 individuals have applied for just 4,000 teaching vacancies in the second batch of the state’s ongoing teacher recruitment drive, highlighting the restored appeal of the teaching profession under his administration.
Abia State Governor
The governor made the revelation during the funeral service of the late Chief Emmanuel Emeaso, titled Olu Eji Eje Mba I, held at Umuekegbe in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area. The service was conducted by the Eziama-Nvosi District, Aba North Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Governor Otti emphasized that his government has successfully revived the dignity of teaching, making it more attractive than other civil service roles. “The teaching profession was a dignified profession long ago, when Chief Emeaso and people of his generation were teachers,” he stated. “We have returned dignity to the teaching profession. You know that we recruited 5,394 teachers who resumed work in September. We saw that the number was not enough because of the massive increase in enrolment arising from the free and compulsory education policy. We have made teaching even more attractive than civil service jobs.”
He attributed the surge in applications to these reforms, noting the need for additional educators to accommodate rising student numbers due to the state’s free education initiative.
Otti assured applicants that the selection process would remain transparent and merit-based, mirroring the approach used in the first recruitment round. “All applicants in the ongoing recruitment exercise will be assessed strictly on merit,” he affirmed.
The governor also paid tribute to the deceased, describing Chief Emeaso as a contemporary of his late father and a fulfilled nonagenarian who passed away at 97.
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