Exclusive: Edo Ministry Of Education On Collision Course With SUBEB Over Teachers’ Recruitment

Ad-hoc teachers, also known as ‘EdoSTAR Teachers,’ trained and employed by the Edo State Government, have been left in a state of confusion over conflicting directives by the Edo State Ministry of Education and the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

Naija News reports that these individuals, brought in to mitigate the teacher shortage in the South-south State, find themselves at a crossroads due to conflicting orders from the Edo State Ministry of Education and the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

The ‘EdoStar’ programme, an initiative of Governor Godwin Obaseki, aimed to bolster the teaching workforce through training and recruitment, with the promise of eventual absorption into the state civil service. However, recent developments surrounding a Computer Based Test (CBT) for teacher recruitment have mired the programme into controversy.

SUBEB

The confusion started when SUBEB Board Secretary, Mrs. Imuentinyan Akin-Omoyajowo, on behalf of the executive chairman, directed EdoSTAR fellows to take part in a CBT test in one of its six designated centers across the state.

SUBEB also instructed school leaders to allow these teachers to be absent from school on one of the days from Tuesday 26th March – Thursday 28th.

“You are hereby directed to grant them the necessary permission and make arrangements to ensure that their duties are assigned to other teachers or covered by school leadership,” Akin-Omoyajow said.

Ministry’s Directive

But the Ministry of Education, in a statement on Monday, said that the EdoSTAR teachers are not to participate in the recruitment exercise by SUBEB.

The statement added: “Edo Star Teachers have undergone rigorous training over the last two years to enhance their professional teaching aptitude and proficiency in core subjects.

“While those without the requisite teaching qualifications have been asked to enrol in the Edo State College of Education to receive their Post-graduate diploma in Education. The training and certification are essential for integrating EdoSTAR Teachers into the teaching service.

“It is imperative for Edo Star Teachers to understand that academic excellence, subject matter aptitude, commitment, and dedication to their duties aligning with the vision of Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, to provide quality education to every learner in Edo state, will be the key factors considered for permanent employment within the program.

“Outstanding performers among the EdoStar Teachers will be absorbed as per the EdoSTAR program guidelines. This process is underway.

“All EdoStar Teachers are to refrain from participating in any recruitment exercises by the various Boards as this is duplication and unnecessary. Await further instructions from the Ministry of Education through your respective supervisory Boards: SUBEB, SSEB, and BTVET.”

Teachers Dilemma

These teachers have been placed in a dilemma over whose directive to follow as the state begins teacher recruitment.

Sources recruited into the Edo Star programme laid bare their predicament when speaking to Naija News.

They expressed bafflement over the contradictory instructions from the Ministry and SUBEB, particularly regarding their participation in the CBT.

The teachers told our correspondent that they were already under the impression that their tenure in the program would naturally lead to permanent positions, a hope that now hangs in the balance.

Issues highlighted by our sources include the clash of directives leading to uncertainty, the prospect of permanent positions now in jeopardy, the inadequacy of their current remuneration, the perplexity of retaking a test they already cleared, a contentious new age limit, and the logistical and financial strain of distant exam centers.

According to a source, the Edo Star teachers want a joint meeting between the Ministry of Education and SUBEB representatives to clarify the conflicting guidelines, affirm their employment status, reconsider the age limit, and potentially reevaluate the exam center locations.

In a letter to the Secretary to the Edo State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie, obtained by Naija News, the EdoSTAR teachers expressed worry over the directive.

The teachers called on the Edo State Government to intervene before the issues changed to a fully blown crisis.

SUBEB’s Reaction

Calls made to the Edo State Commissioner of Education, Dr. Joan Oviawe, did not go through as it indicated that her phone was switched off.

But giving clarifications to the issues raised, SUBEB Executive Chairman, Mrs. Ozavize E. Salami, stated that the recruitment process was a means to do things properly and avoid problems with teacher recruitment in the future.

According to her, recruitment processes are guided by labour laws and civil service laws.

Mrs Salami said: “In the civil service, there is nothing called conversion. There is a programme called Edo Star where we brought in people two years ago. We told them, ‘Come and be teachers, we will train you, we will use you in school’… for many of them, they have education qualifications, for many, they do not. But for those that do not, we have registered about 200 of them in the College of Education. So they can get the required certificate. 

“In the recruitment, we did tell EdoSTAR to come and do the CBT test because they need to, to be properly onboarded. That is just the proper way.”

She noted that the requirement to join the EdoSTAR programme differs from the requirement to join the teaching public service.

According to the SUBEB chairman, the current advertisement is not only for EdoSTAR; it is also for anybody willing to apply.

She noted that there is no course for confusion or fear as the SUBEB board is empowered to hire teachers for the state civil service.

“I want the best for EdoSTAR teachers. They should understand that their Governor is on their side more than anybody. Left to the Governor ’employ all my EdoSTAR people,’ but it is also my job to ensure it is done properly.

“What is the best process? Do you think I want to do a recruitment that will be nullified? No,” she added.

Salami disclosed that the confusion is due to the failure to call up a group of EdoSTAR teachers, adding that some were not called because they had passed the age of entry-level into the civil service.

She stated that some individuals in the EdoSTAR programme are 49 and 59, and they cannot be employed in entry-level recruitment, stressing that the Edo State Government is not unreasonable.

“I cannot invite a person that is 69, 59, 49 for an entry-level position. It is not done,” she added.

Mrs Salami, however, admitted that the two different directives are confusing, adding that the State Government needs to do something to clarify the issues.