In a bold move to strengthen the state’s education sector, the Abia State Government has announced the recruitment of 4,000 additional teachers as part of the second phase of its teacher employment initiative. The exercise is aimed at addressing the persistent shortfall of teaching staff across public schools in the state.
The announcement was made by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, during a press briefing at the Government House, Umuahia, following the State Executive Council meeting held this week.
In addition to the teacher recruitment drive, the government has also approved the hiring of academic staff across various categories to fill critical vacancies at the Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu.
Prince Kanu revealed that the Executive Council has greenlit the procurement of engineering equipment valued at N800 million for ABSU. This, he said, is part of the government’s broader commitment to revitalizing tertiary education and enhancing the learning environment for students.
In a related development, the Commissioner shared that the National Universities Commission (NUC) recently released the results of its October/November 2024 accreditation exercise, with ABSU earning full accreditation for key programmes. These include Law, Agriculture, Mass Communication, and Educational Management and Planning.
The government also addressed long-standing grievances at Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, where all staff who had not been promoted since 2008 have now received their long-overdue promotions. Furthermore, the payment of salary arrears to sacked and resigned staff of the institution has officially commenced.
These measures, according to the Commissioner, underscore the state government’s unwavering commitment to improving education and restoring confidence in public institutions across Abia.