The Federal Government has revealed plans to recruit 3,500 teaching staff across Federal Unity Colleges nationwide. This announcement was made by Dr. Yusuf Sununu, the Minister of State for Education, 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 discuss the challenges facing secondary education in the country.
Sununu emphasized that the recruitment of these teachers would significantly enhance the quality of education. He assured the audience that the Ministry is collaborating with the Office of the Head of Service, the Federal Civil Service Commission, and other relevant government bodies to facilitate the recruitment of 3,500 teaching staff for federal government colleges nationwide. The goal is to improve the standard of education. Furthermore, Sununu highlighted the Ministry’s efforts in providing extensive training and retraining for all staff in schools.
In addition to the recruitment initiative, the Ministry has undertaken significant training in technology application in education, having trained over 1,000 staff through its research resource center. Moreover, more than 53 vocational skills acquisition centers have been constructed to meet the skills needs of young people. The Minister also confirmed the approval for the construction of an additional 50 model schools across the country, which aims to enhance the teaching and learning environment.
Sununu stressed the critical importance of revitalizing the senior secondary education sub-sector to meet global demands. He emphasized the need for a robust and dynamic education system capable of meeting global standards, stating that senior secondary education plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of learners and the nation.
Meanwhile, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House of Representatives, called for a complete overhaul of the senior secondary curriculum to ensure global competitiveness. He highlighted challenges facing senior secondary education, including the lack of qualified teachers, insufficient funding, and inadequate infrastructure.
Dr. Iyela Ajayi, Executive Secretary of the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC), underscored the necessity for stakeholders to take ownership of the national policy on senior secondary education and its implementation guidelines. Ajayi emphasized the imperative of mobilizing all relevant stakeholders, including state governments, NGOs, development partners, and educationalists, to collaborate in identifying problems and providing solutions to the challenges facing senior secondary education.
The event concluded with the launch of critical documents, including the National Policy on Senior Secondary Education in Nigeria, its Implementation Guidelines 2024, and the NSSEC Strategic Plan (NSSECSP) 2024–2027. Additionally, the event featured the launch of 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.
