Hope has risen for about 5,000 applicants awaiting recruitment as teachers in Rivers State, following an indication by the State Government that the prospective teachers will soon be posted to public schools across the state.
The Commissioner for Education, Dr Peters Nwagor, disclosed this on Monday while monitoring the resumption of academic activities in some public schools in the state.
Nwagor said the deployment of the additional teachers, expected to take place in the coming weeks, was part of measures by the government to strengthen teaching and learning in public schools.
He also said the government was revamping facilities in public schools as part of its efforts to improve the learning environment for pupils and students.
The commissioner spoke during an inspection tour of schools to assess compliance with the government’s directive for the commencement of the new academic session.
He said the government was committed to ensuring that public schools were adequately equipped and staffed to provide quality education for children across the state.
According to him, the expected posting of about 5,000 teachers would help address manpower challenges and enhance effective teaching and learning in schools.
Nwagor appealed to students who had resumed to encourage their colleagues who were yet to return to school to do so immediately.
He urged students returning home to spread the message among their colleagues that academic activities had commenced, stressing that no child should be left behind.
The commissioner also appealed to members of the public to report cases of children who were still at home despite the resumption of schools.
He assured parents and guardians that teachers were fully prepared to receive students and resume their academic responsibilities.
“Teachers are fully prepared to receive the students,” he said, while urging parents to ensure that their children returned to school without further delay.
Nwagor, accompanied by other officials of the Ministry of Education, visited Community Secondary School, Rumuepirikom, and State Primary School, Olanada, where he inspected facilities and observed activities marking the beginning of the new academic session.
The development comes amid renewed efforts by the state government to improve infrastructure and manpower in the public education sector.
