ABIA STATE GOVERNMENT EXPLAINS CRITERIA FOR RECRUITMENT OF 4,074 TEACHERS. (PHOTO).

 Abia State Government Explains Criteria for Recruitment of 4,074 Teachers

The Abia State Government has explained that the recruitment of 4,074 teachers was based primarily on the actual needs of schools across the state.

The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Elder Gabriel Chinedu Ubochi, said about 86,000 applicants initially applied for the exercise, while approximately 21,000 candidates were invited for oral interviews after meeting a 40 percent benchmark in the written assessment.

Ubochi explained that the 40 percent benchmark was deliberately adopted to make the process inclusive and avoid unnecessarily excluding qualified candidates.

He said the government subsequently obtained specific data from principals and heads of schools on the number and subject areas of teachers required.

According to him, the final selection was therefore not based solely on examination scores, but also on the availability of vacancies and the specific subject needs of schools.

The Commissioner cited Biology as an example, saying 360 candidates qualified at the 50.5 percent benchmark, but only 260 Biology teachers were required by the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board and the Secondary Education Management Board.

The Commissioner dismissed allegations of favouritism, insisting that the Governor Alex Otti administration did not compromise transparency in the recruitment exercise.