The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has called on the state government and authorities in the local government areas, to make the recruitment of primary school teachers a priority.
It said shortage of teachers in that tier of education has resulted in the decline in standards and consequent poor performances by pupils.
The speaker, Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, made the call during the plenary on Monday, in Lafia, following a motion on matters of public importance to the chairman House Committee on education, Mr Daniel Ogazi.
Mr Ogazi lamented that between 2011 and 2021, 3,665 number of primary school teachers retired or died without new employees to fill the vacant positions.
Ogazi ( APC-Kokona East), the Deputy Majority Leader said, “ Mr Speaker and my Honourable colleagues, in the course of our oversight we discovered that from 2011 to 2021, we have 3665 primary school teachers, who have died or retired.
“And there has never been employment of primary school teachers since 2011 to 2021.
“The level of primary education is devastating. the state government is doing well in the area of infrastructure but there are no teachers in the primary schools.
“If nothing is done, the standard of primary education will continue to be affected negatively.
“It is in view of this that I call for the employment of primary school teachers in the state in order to address the situation.”
Responding, the Speaker said if competent and qualified teachers are employed to manage the affairs of primary schools, it would go a long way in reviving the falling standard of primary education in the State.
Abdullahi said that the State Government was doing well by providing structures across primary schools in the State but it would amount to nothing if there are no qualified and competent teachers.
He said, ” I want to appreciate Hon Ogazi for bringing this matter and to also appreciate the House Committee on Education for their efforts in oversight education sector.
“I also want to commend all members for your contributions on this subject matter.
“The state government is trying in building structures in our primary schools, the structures will come to nothing if we don’t have competent and qualified teachers in primary schools.
“Our resolution is that we urge the state government to declare a state of emergency in primary education.
“That the local government areas in conjunction with the state government to put machinery in place for the employment of primary school teachers in the state,” he said.
He urged members and other people especially public officeholders to send their children to public schools to ensure that the sector is revived.
“I believe, we all attended public schools, and if we send our children to public schools, it will revive the system and ensure quality education in the state,” he said.
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