Fed Govt Announces Recruitment of 3,500 Teachers for Unity Colleges

The Federal Government has announced plans to recruit 3,500 teaching staff across Federal Unity Colleges nationwide. This initiative, aimed at enhancing the quality of education, was revealed by Dr. Yusuf Sununu, Minister of State for Education, during a two-day National Stakeholders’ Forum on Senior Secondary Education in Nigeria.

The forum, themed “Revitalising Senior Secondary Education in Nigeria for Global Competitiveness,” gathered various education stakeholders to address the challenges facing secondary education in the country.

Dr. Sununu emphasized that the recruitment process would significantly improve educational standards. “The Ministry is collaborating with the Office of the Head of Service, the Federal Civil Service Commission, and other relevant government bodies to recruit 3,500 teaching staff for our federal government colleges nationwide,” he said. “This will enhance the quality of education. Additionally, the Ministry has organized extensive training and retraining programs for all school staff.”

The Minister highlighted the Ministry’s efforts to integrate technology into education, noting that over 1,000 staff members have been trained in technology applications through its research resource center. Furthermore, more than 53 vocational skills acquisition centers have been established to meet the skills needs of young people, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda. Approval has also been secured to build an additional 50 model schools across the country to further enhance teaching and learning.

Dr. Sununu underscored the importance of revitalizing the senior secondary education sub-sector to meet global standards. “Today marks a significant step in our journey to enhance the quality of education for our young learners. Senior secondary education is a critical phase, shaping the future of our learners and, by extension, our nation,” he said.

Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House of Representatives, also called for a complete overhaul of the senior secondary curriculum to ensure global competitiveness. Represented by Rep. Mark Usani, Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education and Services, Abbas highlighted several challenges, including the lack of qualified teachers, funding, and inadequate infrastructure.

Dr. Iyela Ajayi, Executive Secretary of the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC), stressed the need for stakeholders to take ownership of the national policy on senior secondary education and its implementation guidelines. “The federal government alone cannot succeed in repositioning senior secondary education. We must mobilize all relevant stakeholders, including state governments, NGOs, development partners, educationalists, and concerned individuals to brainstorm, identify problems, and provide solutions.”

The event also featured the launch of several critical documents, including the National Policy on Senior Secondary Education in Nigeria, its Implementation Guidelines 2024, the NSSEC Strategic Plan (NSSECSP) 2024–2027, the Manual for Monitoring and Evaluation of Senior Secondary Education in Nigeria 2024, and Training Manuals for Teachers of English Language and Mathematics in Senior Secondary Schools in Nigeria.