Kassim Mohammed-Kassim, who serves as the executive chairman of the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), has placed Usman Aliyu, the education secretary of Lafia Local Government, on suspension for not being present at his workplace.
Mr. Mohammed-Kassim announced the suspension on Thursday in Lafia during unannounced visits he made to several schools and offices of the Local Education Authority in Lafia.
The purpose of the visit was to monitor staff performance, evaluate the standard of teaching and learning, and inspect the physical structures and amenities to determine areas needing development.
According to Mr. Mohammed-Kassim, the suspension came about because the education secretary failed to be available in the office to welcome and brief him on the current situation of schools within his area of responsibility.
The head of SUBEB explained that the disciplinary action is intended to act as a warning to others who might try to obstruct the government’s well-structured plan for primary education in the state.
Regarding the issue of teacher shortages, the SUBEB chairman, who recently took on the role, gave assurance that the board would soon begin hiring competent teachers for elementary schools.
He mentioned that teachers would be assigned to schools in rural areas in order to reduce the imbalance caused by having too many teachers located in urban regions.
Mr. Mohammed-Kassim further promised that all teachers who are currently being paid through the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) would be offered permanent positions under the board.
He encouraged the PTA teachers to remain patient while the processes for their official employment are being finalized.
The new executive chairman expressed his gratitude to Governor Abdullahi Sule for granting him the chance to contribute to the state’s development.
He gave his word to carry out his responsibilities with dedication and integrity to help the administration achieve its goals.
