GOVERNOR Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State has said he was overwhelmed by the support and encouragement his government was receiving from parents over its education reforms.
Speaking through his aide Samuel Aruwan on Thursday, el-Rufai remarked “ordinary people clearly understand that the government is making public primary schools better for the sake of citizens and their children.
“They have seen failed teachers and the NUT disrupt schools as they try to force others to join the strike, and they know that it is the government that is standing for their interests.
He said the state government believes in the equality of opportunity and is devoted to promoting social mobility through education and skills.
“It is the children of the poor that attend public primary schools, and public schools must not offer inferior education. Therefore, senior government officials, including Malam Nasir el-Rufai, who are themselves products of public education, believe that the children of the poor are entitled to a decent education.
“The government’s programmes since 2015 have been propelled by a need to improve the learning environment and the quality of teaching.
“It has guaranteed nine years of free basic education in its public school and is determined that only qualified teachers will be allowed to mould the minds of the 2 million pupils currently in public primary schools.
To this end, he vowed, “No amount of sentiments will result in subjugating the future of these two million children to the caprices of poor teachers.
“Not strikes. Not blackmail. Not craven indulgence in tired clichés. The urgency of serving our people does not permit us to retain unqualified or redundant workers just because they were able to sneak in.
“Perhaps the labour unions are unable to identify the great issues of the day if they are not prompted by external actors, but not every social actor shares that affliction.
According to him, “There is no way to even contemplate retaining teachers who have failed badly, and who are actually in need of adult education classes in literacy and numeracy.
“The Kaduna State has disengaged failing teachers. 25,000 new teachers will replace the almost 22,000 that have proven unsuitable.
“The recruitment process will continue until we find the right calibre of teachers. The scripts of the 43,000 applicants who sat for the teachers’ recruitment exams have been marked, and are being collated. The next phase is to interview and screen the candidates that passed the recruitment test.
“It was instructive that NLC and NUT officials were part of the committee that organised and supervised the competency test.
“They requested that 60% be accepted as the pass mark for teachers writing a Primary Four exam, but are reluctant to admit to their members that they endorsed the logic that unqualified teachers must go. To save face, they have shamelessly tried to repudiate their participation in the process.
“The government is doing what is right and proper for the people. Getting employed as a public servant does not elevate the interests and perks of that person above the larger interests of society. Keeping five people in employment sharing the desk and job of one person amounts to injustice to the many whose public resources are being squandered on a few.”
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