From Suleiman Abubakar
An investigation has revealed that Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has taken significant steps to address the staff shortage in public schools by employing 14,023 lecturers and teachers across various educational institutions.
Speaking with our correspondent , the State Commissioner of Education, Dr. John W. D. Mamman, disclosed that the governor has employed staff in state-owned tertiary, secondary, and primary schools to tackle the manpower deficit.
The breakdown of the employment numbers is as follows:
Nasarawa State University, Keffi : A total of 505 staff members were employed, comprising 223 academic staff, 166 non-academic staff, and 116 senior and junior lecturers.
College of Education, Akwanga: 507 staff members were hired, including 252 academic staff and 315 non-academic staff.
Isa Mustapha Agwai I Polytechnic, Lafia : 317 staff were employed, including 114 academic staff, 100 senior lecturers, and 73 junior personnel.
College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia : 976 staff members were employed, following the upgrade of the institution to include more academic and non-academic positions.
School of Nursing and Midwifery, now College of Nursing Sciences: 13 lecturers were employed.
College of Health, Science and Technology, Keffi: 212 lecturers were hired.
These efforts have brought the total number of staff employed in tertiary institutions and secondary schools to 9,323.
At the secondary school level, 4,721 staff members were employed to fill vacancies created over the years by retirements and deaths.
Additionally, the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB) confirmed that plans are underway to employ 4,700 staff for primary schools across the state, bringing the total number of new hires to 14,023.
Honorable Mohammed Musa Dan'azumi, Executive Chairman of NSUBEB, explained that this recruitment initiative is the first major employment drive since 2011, aimed at replacing staff lost due to death, retirement, or transfer.
Governor Sule's approach to resource allocation and transparency has been praised, with his commitment to ensuring that no sector is left understaffed.
He also absorbed casual staff into the state's workforce, eliminating the casual staffing system across all government offices, ministries, and agencies.
Finally, the Executive Chairman warned against corruption, stating that any government official found accepting bribes from job applicants would face severe consequences.
Governor Sule’s efforts have been described as a model for others to follow, as he continues to address key challenges in the education sector.
