PhD Holder Employed As Primary School Teacher In Kaduna (Full Gist)

The Kaduna State Government has employed 13,606 additional qualified public primary school teachers, including a PhD holder in the state.

According to the state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mallam Ja’afaru Sani, the exercise marks the filling of the 25,000 vacancies announced after the sacking of the 22,000 unqualified teachers in the state in January.

Sani, who spoke to journalists in Kaduna on Saturday, noted that in addition to the PhD holder, 8,494 of the 25,000 new teachers were first-degree holders, while the remaining were National Certificate in Education holders.

The commissioner explained that the state had commenced full implementation of free education for girls (female) in the state public secondary schools, which he said was in compliance with the directives of Governor Nasir el-Rufai.

He stated that about 191,445 female students in public schools would benefit from the gesture, which, according to him, will cost the government N143.587m each term and N430.791m every year.

Sani said the decision became necessary with a view to removing all obstacles standing on the way of the girl child to acquire education in the state.

He said, “We hope by this gesture, parents will have no hesitation to send the girl child to school and significantly increase enrolment and retention of the girl child in school.”

The donors, included TY Danjuma Foundation, which supported 120 girls; Centre for Girl Education of ABU Zaria, 250 girls; and Girl Child Concern, 750 girls.

He added that about N900m and N70.335m had been expended on girl child scholarships and female teacher support, respectively under the World Bank’s $21.5m grant for Global Partnership for Education project.

“Similarly, Mercy Corps Foundation in collaboration with the education ministry returned 100 married women, who dropped out, back to school,” Sani added.

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