Delta State Universal Basic Education Board, Subeb, has expressed concern over allegation that most of the newly recruited primary school teachers posted to riverine communities in the state, absconded after completing resumption of duty formalities.
Executive Chairman, SUBEB, Delta State, Chief Samuel Mariere, who was in Koko, headquarters of Warri North local Government Council, in continuation of strategic meeting with primary education stakeholders across the state, promised to investigate the matter.
Some community leaders at the meeting, had told Chief Mariere and his team that some teachers posted to schools in the riverine areas of Warri North, never shown up again, days after resumption of duty.
“The newly recruited teachers only resumed once and never came back to carry out their duties as teachers, leaving the pupils without learning.
“Some of them engaged some Secondary School Students from the communities to teach the pupils and pay them stipends, while they left the communities”, the leaders alleged.
Visibly angered by the revelation, the Executive Chairman, Subeb, Chief Samuel Mariere, expressed disappointment over the development, warning those involved to report back to duty immediately or resign.
He stated that failing to do so, the state government would be left with no other option but to relief them of their appointments and start another process to engaging those ready to work.
Mariere disclosed that it was clearly stated in the employment letters of the recently recruited teachers, that they must serve in schools posted to for a minimum of three years before seeking transfer.
He frowned at the set back and demanded the Education Secretary in Warri North and members of School Based Management Committee, SBMC in the locality, to furnish the board with teachers involved in the act.
The Subeb Boss revealed that the state government recently recruited over three thousand teaching and non teaching staff, disclosing that fifty of them were allocated to Warri North.
Mariere lauded the Chairman, Warri North, Hon Festus Ashima and the representative of Egbema kingdom, High Chief Matthew Tiemu, for their commitment to education, by engaging private teachers for primary schools in their communities before the recent recruitment of teachers by the state government.
Flanked by 1st, 2nd and 3rd members of the Board, Chukwuemeka Uwadia, Onome Akpogherhe and Josephine Ejheren, as well as the Permanent Secretary, Mr Bryan Unini, the Subeb Boss, assured the communities of government resolved to repair dilapidated school infrastructure and commitment to build more blocks of classrooms, for enhanced teaching and learning environment.
He appealed to Head teachers, Traditional rulers, Community, Women and Youth Leaders to support government reforms agenda in public primary education in the state.
Mariere, a two terms member of the Delta State Assembly and former Commissioner for Water Resources Development, said morals, discipline, quality education and standards, must be restored in public schools in the state.
He called on various stakeholders to collaborate with the Head Teachers to encourage parents to enroll their wards in public schools in the next academic session, starting in September.
Chairman, Warri North, Hon Festus Ashima assured SUBEB management that the Council will join forces with the board in implementing government’s reforms in the public primary education in the state.
He disclosed that the Council would soon set up an education committee to inspect the state of primary education in the local government area, adding that education remain a top priority to the people of Warri North.
Representative of Egbema kingdom, High Chief Matthew Tiemu, commended the state government and SUBEB for the drive to reposition public primary education in the state.
He stressed that for education to have its right place in the society, parents, pupils, students, government and stakeholders must be committed to play their roles.
SUBEB engagements with stakeholders continues.