12,000 teachers who failed primary school exam reapply to teach

12,000 of the 21,780 Kaduna State teachers

This was disclosed by the state's Commissioner for Education, Jaafaru Sani, who told journalists on Sunday, January 21, 2018, that the state's Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has shortlisted 27,639 applicants from a pool of 43,000 original applicants.

Sani also revealed that the 27,639 applicants, who were sent invitations on Saturday, January 20, will be subjected to further screening on Wednesday, January 24.

The commissioner said the state remains committed to the improvement of education in the state and will provide a welfare package that'll motivate teachers.

He said the state would pay gratuities to disengaged teachers who had spent five to nine years in service, while those who spent 10 years and above would be entitled to pensions.

He said, "Government would not waiver in its quest for education reforms, which it has met with needless resistance. Government is committed to the idea that children of the poor are entitled to quality education.

"Our public primary schools would no longer be a dumping ground for people who don’t have the requisite knowledge and qualifications."

SUBEB assured Kaduna residents that the first batch of teachers who meet the required competence, qualification and professional standard will be deployed to schools by February 2018.

Kaduna's controversial competency test

Of the 33,000 primary school teachers who sat for the examination conducted by the state's Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), only 11,220 passed the exercise.

After issuing a one-month notice to the failed teachers to prepare for disengagement from service, the Kaduna State Executive Council approved the immediate commencement of the process of recruiting 25,000 new primary school teachers.

In reaction to the dismissal, several protests sprung up across the state resulting in a violent attack on lawmakers and vandalisation of properties worth millions at the state's House of Assembly complex.

On January 8, the state's chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) embarked on an indefinite strike that was called off 10 days later.