Rivers State governor and Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Rotimi Amaechi, will on Wednesday hand over appointment letters to the newly employed 13, 000 teachers, who successfully passed the recruitment exercise in the state.
Amaechi, who was represented by Commissioner for Education, Alice Lawrence Nemi, disclosed this when she received a UNESCO delegation, stating that the teachers’ appointment was part of moves by the current administration to ensure quality education in the state.
Alice also commended the governor for giving much attention to the education sector, stating that UNESCO will assist the state government to undertake an assessment of the number of children that are out of school in the state.
“Not that the Ministry of Education did not know the figures, but we want professionals to make their assessment and tell us, particularly, now that Nigerians are jittering that about 10.5 million children are out of school.
“And at this time, every state is fighting hard to meet the millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and I think in Rivers state, we have done well on infrastructure.
“We have gone into training of our teachers and employment of 13,000 teachers. We also invited Price Water House Copper to screen the teachers.
“We equally engaged a consultant to confirm their qualifications for us”, Alice said.
She further indicated that every teacher employed by the Rivers State government must be committed to their assignment and professional calling towards ensuring quality education in the state.
“For us in Rivers State, we believe that for you to be a teacher, you must be committed, and as I speak to you, the teachers we have are very much committed and they are also appreciating what Governor Amaechi has done, particularly in the education sector”, Alice said.
She added that by September this year, about 250 model primary schools in the state will be functional.
Earlier, Director and Preventatives of United Nations, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizational (UNESCO), Professor Hassana Alidou, said she was in the state to examine what the Ministry of Education is doing in promoting quality education in the state.
Alidou also said UNESCO would examine the method of access to education, and the extent of quality education in the state, and ensure it is in consonance with world standard.
