The Federal Government has announced plans to recruit 3,500 new teaching staff for Federal Unity Colleges across Nigeria.
Dr. Yusuf Sununu, Minister of State for Education, revealed this initiative during the two-day National Stakeholders’ Forum on Senior Secondary Education in Nigeria.
The forum, themed “Revitalising Senior Secondary Education in Nigeria for Global Competitiveness,” brought together education stakeholders to address challenges in secondary education.
Dr. Sununu stated that this recruitment effort aims to significantly enhance the quality of education at federal colleges.
“The Ministry is working closely with the Office of the Head of Service, the Federal Civil Service Commission, and other relevant bodies to bring 3,500 new teachers on board.
This will improve educational standards nationwide,” Sununu said. He also noted that extensive training and retraining programs are being organized for existing school staff.
Additionally, Sununu highlighted that over 1,000 staff members have been trained in technology application in education through the Ministry’s research resource center.
More than 53 vocational skills acquisition centers have been established to address the skills needs of young people, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.
Approval has also been granted to build an additional 50 model schools to further enhance teaching and learning.
“The revitalization of the Senior Secondary Education sector to meet global standards requires decisive actions to optimize the system,” Sununu added. “Today represents a significant step towards improving educational quality for our students and our nation. Senior Secondary Education is a crucial phase that shapes the future of our learners and, by extension, our country.”
Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House of Representatives, called for a comprehensive overhaul of the senior secondary curriculum to enhance global competitiveness.
Abbas, represented by Rep. Mark Usani, Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education and Services, addressed challenges such as a shortage of qualified teachers, inadequate funding, and insufficient infrastructure.
Dr. Iyela Ajayi, Executive Secretary of the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC), stressed the importance of stakeholder involvement in implementing the national policy on senior secondary education.
“The federal government alone cannot reposition senior secondary education effectively. We need to engage all relevant stakeholders, including state governments, NGOs, development partners, and educationalists, to collaborate, identify problems, and develop solutions,” Ajayi said.
The event also saw the launch of several key documents, including the National Policy on Senior Secondary Education in Nigeria, Implementation Guidelines 2024, and the NSSEC Strategic Plan (NSSECSP) 2024-2027.
Other launched documents included 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.
