The Abia State Government has shortlisted 9,371 applicants for its ongoing teachers’ recruitment exercise and increased the recruitment quota from 2500 to 5,000.
The adjustment in the recruitment quota comes in response to the rising number of Student enrollments in Public Schools, driven by the State’s free and compulsory education policy.
The shortlisted Candidates would be invited for a Computer-Based Test (CBT) at a date to be announced soon.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this while briefing Journalists on the outcome of this week’s Exco Meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
Prince Kanu who recalled that the application portal closed on February 12, 2025, after receiving a total of 29,797 applications ,emphasized that the recruitment process has been designed to be transparent and merit-based.
“Those who passed the exams would be invited for oral interview after which the successful ones would be hired.
“The process of recruitment of these teachers have been designed to be transparent and merit based,” Prince Kanu stated.
The Commissioner also revealed that Governor Otti will unveil a new educational programme tagged, AbiaFIRST, on Wednesday, February 26.
Prince Kanu said the initiative, themed “Reimagining Education in Abia State”, is aimed at transforming the State’s Education sector and creating world-class learning opportunities for every child in Abia.
“The initiative encompasses State of the art Infrastructural Development in the Education Sector, Advanced Digital Learning Processes, comprehensive Teachers Development programmes, innovative Curriculum design and Modern Vocational Training Centers amongst others”, Prince Kanu emphasized.
He further disclosed that the State Government has made Igbo Language Compulsory subject from Primary school up to Senior Secondary 2 (SS2).
Prince Kanu explained that the initiative is aimed at fostering a cultural revival and grounding the children in their mother tongue.
The Commissioner also announced that the State Government has reintroduced the study of History across the Basic and Secondary schools with immediate effect.
He stressed the importance of preserving the state’s rich historical background for future generations adding that any society focused on progress must prioritize its history.
“Any society that is interested in making progress must be deliberate about keeping its history.
“We believe Abia state has a rich historical background which we are proud of and we intend to tell our children and succeeding generations our history”, Prince Kanu said.
Contributing, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Elder Goodluck Ubochi, while announcing a new curriculum for History, explained that although History was previously a compulsory subject, much of its content overlapped with Civic Education.
He said that a new curriculum has been approved and would be implemented in the next academic year.
“There is a new curriculum that is about to be released. It has been approved. By next academic year that new curriculum will be on board.
“One good thing is that the State has the right to adjust a curriculum as it suits us, so, we are going to rejig the curriculum to bring those historical facts of which we are known for into the curriculum.
“This would enable a child who goes through Secondary Education to be able to know the basic history that makes Igbos very different from any others,” Elder Ubochi stated
On the recruitment front, Ubochi revealed that Governor Otti approved an increase in the recruitment quota from 2,500 to 5,000 teachers due to the rising number of students enrolling in public schools, as a result of the free and compulsory education policy.
“After reviewing the level of influx of children in our schools because of the free and compulsory Education, we had to request His Excellency to give us a higher number.
“By the time we are through with this process about 5,000 teachers will be employed”, Elder Ubochi assured.
Present at the briefing were the Special Adviser to the Governor on Monitoring and Evaluation, Mazi Ugochukwu Okoroafor; the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma; and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha.
