Francis Sardauna in Katsina
The Katsina State Government has refuted claims that the 2,158 teachers recruited in its latest employment exercise were engaged under the Transforming Education Systems at State Level (TESS) project.
The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Hon. Yusuf Sulaiman Jibia, made the clarification on Wednesday while responding to allegations that the teachers were recruited under the donor-supported project.
He explained that the newly recruited 2,158 primary and secondary school teachers were employed directly by the state government through a “transparent recruitment” process.
He disclosed that although the government used the TESS project office to distribute appointment letters to the successful applicants, the recruitment was conducted and financed entirely by the Katsina State Government.
Jibia said: “The teachers were recruited by the Katsina State Government, not by TESS. We only made use of the TESS premises to distribute appointment letters. They are being processed to become full-fledged civil servants of the Katsina State Government.
“TESS is a programme that will eventually come to an end. If these teachers were recruited under TESS, who would be responsible for them when the programme ends? They are government employees and not TESS staff.”
Describing the TESS programme as a time-bound educational intervention in Katsina, the Commissioner said the recruitment of the 2,158 teachers followed laid-down civil service procedures and should not be linked to TESS.
The commissioner further stated that the recruitment exercise was aimed at bridging the manpower gaps in public primary and secondary schools, and structured to address the specific needs of schools across the state.
