Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has approved the revalidation of 1,000 teachers who were recruited in 2023 to address staffing shortages in public schools across the state. This announcement was made by Sam Ogeh, the Chairman of the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board (RSUBEB), in a public statement on Tuesday.
The decision comes shortly after the Rivers State House of Assembly criticized the governor for the poor learning conditions in public schools. The Assembly, led by Martin Amawhule, expressed concerns over the government’s perceived neglect of the education sector, including the inadequate number of teachers and deteriorating school infrastructure.
Ogeh stated that all 1,000 teachers are required to report to the RSUBEB for the revalidation exercise, which is scheduled to take place on Wednesday at the RSUBEB State Office in Elechi Beach, Port Harcourt.
During discussions in the Assembly, Aforji Igwe, the Chairman of the House Committee on Education, highlighted the dire conditions of schools, including inadequate facilities and a lack of teachers. The Speaker, Amaewhule, pointed out that previous state administrations had left significant funds unutilized for educational improvements, questioning why these resources had not been allocated to address the pressing issues.
In response to the criticisms, Governor Fubara acknowledged that the challenges facing the education sector predate his administration and noted that a six-month emergency rule had hindered progress on infrastructure improvements. He committed to prioritizing the recruitment of teachers and healthcare professionals while emphasizing that appointments would not be influenced by political considerations.
