Governor El-Rufai concedes that nearly half of Kaduna State teachers are unqualified

KADUNA State governor Nasir El-Rufai has conceded that about 42% of the teachers employed by his government are not qualified to do their jobs and there is an urgent need to upgrade their knowledge.

 

Speaking yesterday at the commissioning ceremony of a 1,500-seater capacity hall named after him at the Federal College of Education (FCE), Zaria, Governor El-Rufai, said that despite the large number of unqualified teachers, his government does not intend to sack anybody but rather wants them to upgrade their knowledge. In Nigeria's primary school teachers are supposed to have a National Certificate of Education, while secondary school teachers are supposed to have a post-graduate diploma in education.

 

Governor El-Rufai said: “We are lucky to have the FCE, the Institute of Education and the Ahmadu Bello University among other teacher training institutions in the state. They are going to be used to advance the knowledge of the teachers.”

 

While thanking FCE for the gesture, Governor El-Rufai advised the management of the institution to introduce more degree courses to enable people benefit more from the college's services. Muktar Maccido, the provost of the college, said the newly-commissioned hall was the biggest of its kind in all the colleges of education and polytechnics across Nigeria.

 

He added that the college had been transformed during his tenure as provost through staff strength and structural advancement. According to the provost, the college had established an FM radio station and added that a television station is expected to be on air soon.