The Chairman of Borno State Teachers Verification Committee (BTVC), Dr. Shettima Kulima, has said that 60% of teachers are not qualified to teach in schools. Kulima disclosed this at the weekend, while submitting his report to Governor Babagana Zulum at Government House, Maiduguri, the state capital. According to him, out of the 26,250 screened teachers; only 10,103 possessed the requisite teaching qualifications, representing 16,147 ghost teachers. He explained that during the screening exercise, the committee discovered anomalies including staff with fake certificates, dues for retirement teachers; but refused to go, questionable appointment letters, under aged teachers, and teachers working in multiple organisations. He said that Biu Local Government Area (LGA) is leading in the number of such workers. In a breakdown of teachers with various organisations, he said: “Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) is leading in workers with fake certificates with about 700 of them. “This followed by Jere LGA with the identification of 336 teachers.” On teachers with fake appointment letters, he said: “Konduga LGA has the highest number of those with questionable appointment letters, while Ngala leads with under-aged employees.” He noted that the committee suggests 30 recommendations, including staff motivation in order to sanitize primary education in the state. According to him, the committee was able to reduce the monthly wage bills of primary school teachers from N693.1 million to N427.8 million after six-month screening exercise. He told the Governor that the teachers’ screening exercise has saved an annual wage bill of N3.19 billion. While receiving the report, Zulum lauded the committee for a thorough job and assured it of his administration’s commitment to sanitising the system. He said that education is the bedrock of development. “We accord top priority to education,” warning that the state government will not compromise on qualitative and functional education, particularly at the primary level. He assured the committee that the government will commence recruitment of qualified teachers with motivations and other hazard allowances. “We’ll give you the responsibility to fish out the hard-working teachers for rewards,” he said.
