No less than 6,700 people arecurrently vying for 380 teaching positions at various secondary schools in Enugu State.
The News Agency of Nigeria correspondent who monitored the examination on Saturday in several of the approved examination venues reported that a high number of applicants showed up.
Fr. Hilary Mgbodile, Chairman of Enugu State Post Primary School Management Board, informed NAN that the board received over 12,000 applications.
He stated that 6,700 candidates were shortlisted for the 380 positions required to fill the vacancies left by the retired.
Mgbodile revealed that the examinations were held at five centers in Enugu: Union Boys Secondary School, Queen School, Holy Rosary College, College of Immaculate Conception, and Trans Ekulu Girls Secondary School.
He stated that the shortlisted applicants were tested in English, ICT, Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry.
According to him, over 2,000 applied to teach English while in ICT, the board needs only 80 but 1,700 applied for the subject.
“So we are picking the best of the best which is the only consideration and parameter for the selection of the teachers,” he said.
He added that after the test and the needed competent teachers were not found, the board would call for another application, stressing that he was optimistic that with the number of applicants, the board would get the qualified ones.
“We cannot lower the standard because we cannot get what we want.
“The recruitment is being done by PPSMB but in order to reduce pressure and to ensure meritocracy and absolute objectivity, we decided to seek the assistance of an independent recruiting company,” Mgbodile said.
On why they dropped a large number of applicants, he noted that after sorting out the applications, it was noted that some were non-indigenes and some were over-aged as they pegged the age requirement at 45 years.
“While some did not have the requisite qualifications for the subject they intend to teach, those that studied Social Studies may apply to teach English which is not compatible,” he said.
The chairman also said that those people who were awaiting their statements of result and others who could not provide their certificates were excluded from the examination.
Explaining the idea behind the recruitment, the chairman said the board observed upon assumption of office in 2023, that Secondary Schools in Enugu were lacking teachers, especially in the rural areas.
He said that at the instance of Gov. Peter Mbah’s directive, the board posted some teachers from the urban to the rural areas.
“As we were doing that, we discovered that we lacked teachers in some key subjects like sciences and other core subjects.
“We made a recommendation to Gov Mbah on the need to recruit teachers to fill the shortfalls of science teachers which he approved.
“That is why we want to recruit competent professionals who studied Engineering, to teach Chemistry.
“I want to restore the legacy of teaching and learning and make it easier for parents to stop borrowing while taking their children to private and mission schools.
“I want to restore confidence in the public schools and Mbah is a pathfinder in this regard and we want to follow his mantra,” he said.