- Only those qualified will be included in Teacher Professional Development – KADSUBEB
The Kaduna State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) Ibrahim Dalhatu has dismissed the sacking of teachers who refused to sit or failed a competency test conducted by the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (KADSUBEB).
The spokesperson of KADSUBEB, Hauwa Mohammed, in a statement on Sunday in Kaduna, said 2,192 primary school teachers including the National President of the NUT, Audu Amba, were dismissed for refusing to sit for the competency test, while 165 of the 27,662 teachers that sat for the test were also sacked for poor performances.
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But responding, the state NUT chairman described the sacking of the affected teachers as “illegal”.
Mr Dalhatu said the union had secured a court order restraining the board from conducting the competency test, adding, however, that it conducted the test without recourse to the rule of law.
He recalled that the union had asked the teachers not to write the examination after learning that the intent was to sack them.
“We warned that any teacher who participated in the illegal examination would not be protected by the union if victimised but some of the teachers went ahead to write the examination out of fear.
“We are not against the conduct of the competency test if due process is followed, but it should not be used as a basis for sacking teachers.
“The competency test should be used to determine teachers’ capacity gap and tailored specific training programmes to improve their capacities,” he said.
When contacted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the NUT National President said he was aware of the development, adding that the National Executive Council of the union would sit on Wednesday, June 22, to come up with a position.
In the statement, KADSUBEB said teachers who scored below 40 per cent are no longer required and their appointments have been terminated from the Public Service for their poor performances.
“Teachers who scored 75 per cent and above were recognised as those who passed the test and qualified for attending courses in leadership and school management,” she said.
Ms Mohammed said teachers who scored between 40 and 74 per cent did not meet up with the minimum pass mark, adding that they would be given second chance to improve their capacities.
According to her, qualified teachers will be included in Teacher Professional Development (TPD) programmes to enhance their capacities to deliver quality teaching to pupils.
