- As 5,000 Awaiting Teachers Tell Govt To Expedite Action On Recruitment Process
The continued delay in the 2024 Osun teachers’ recruitment has forced many communities in the state to resort to self-help by taking responsibility of the government upon themselves.
OSUN DEFENDER learnt that many public schools in the state lack the required number of teachers. This has made the host communities engage the services of private teachers to fill the gap.
Investigation by the medium also revealed that some traditional rulers and chiefs in some communities have taken it upon themselves to teach in their schools.
Recently, in an interview with the Elende of Eko-Ekoende, Oba Adekunle Abdulwaheed Babatunde, the monarch asserted that he and his chiefs have been assisting in teaching at the community school.
Oba Adekunle appealed to the state government to expedite action on the pending teachers’ recruitment exercise while also citing some of the challenges faced by Ademola Adeleke’s administration.
He said: “When we noticed last time that the government is not recruiting teachers, I personally and some other chiefs like Baba Oba, a retired teacher, have been assisting in the school. One of my chiefs is taking Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics, Islamic Studies and Christian Religious studies. I am taking the student Financial Accounting.
“We are doing our best and presently we have not less than three teachers that I recruited and pay their salaries on a regular basis. We appeal to the government that they should conclude the teachers’ recruitment in no time. I also understand that there are a lot of factors causing the delay in the recruitment because I am privy to some certain things.”
Also, OSUN DEFENDER gathered that some schools for persons with special needs in the state are also in dire need of teachers, especially interpreters for the deaf students. At Baptist Grammar School, Iwo, out of the six needed interpreters, two were engaged and paid by individuals.
But the government has blamed the delay in the conclusion of the recruitment exercise to the withheld local government allocation by the Federal Government.
Some of the awaiting 5,000 teachers have taken to social media to challenge the state government on why their appointment letters are taking an endless time.
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In his own comment, Aremo Ola Raphael berated the government for turning deaf ears to the cry of the successful candidates.
Rapheal wrote: “It’s not difficult to pay the governor and his cabinet salaries, even the controversial local government elected personalities are getting stipends that’s far above level 12 teachers. Now 5000 able Osun indigenes are handicapped, they cannot provide for their family and left wretched even in the face of current economic hardship for almost 2 years. These ones purchase forms, write exams and rigorous interviews.
“The citizens on their own sent their children to a well-structured school without a teacher and called it school. Even the opposition sees nothing wrong with it since they were equally failures. All they are dragging is their political interest.
“Election is around the corner; they want to progress while they leave 5000 graduate retarded with their family members. They are mortgaging people’s lives for roads and bridges. Nemesis will definitely catch up with them. Disappointingly, some gullible will still defend them here as if we’re asking them to employ from their family wealth. Thousands retired since 2013 without replacement and transfer of service is going on every day. Bunch of failures.”
According to Jesutobiloba Abiodun, the future of education in Osun State cannot remain on hold indefinitely due to the delay in completion of the teachers’ recruitment exercise.
“It has been over a year since the teacher recruitment process began, yet we are still left in uncertainty. Many of us have waited patiently, hopeful that the government would bring this exercise to a conclusion. Sadly, the silence has gone on for too long.
“We believe it is time to come together and peacefully make our voices heard. This is not about confrontation, but about standing united in dignity and respect, to remind the government that our future — and the future of education in our state — cannot remain on hold indefinitely.
“Let us gather peacefully, with one voice, carrying only our message of fairness, transparency, and justice. No violence, no insults — only the strength of our unity and the truth of our cause.
“Together, we can make a difference. How do they know they are successful or not and what are they going to do on the portal when the interview process has been concluded? They should wait till the right time when the names of the successful candidates will be announced,” Abiodun wrote.
Some of the applicants also alleged that the recruitment portal has shut down. But responding to enquiry by OSUN DEFENDER, the commissioner for education in the state, Hon. Dipo Eluwole challenged the applicants, saying what is the essence of trying to access the portal when interviews have been conducted for successful candidates and they are awaiting appointment letters.
“What is the essence of trying to access the portal when the interview has been conducted and how do these people who are complaining know if they are part of the 5000 shortlisted candidates. There is no point in trying to log in. When it is the time, names of those who qualified will be made public. I want to urge them to keep calm. Everything will be sorted as soon as possible. We understand their plight,” Eluwole noted.
Yusuf Oketola is a trained journalist with over five years of experience in the media industry. He has worked for both print and online medium. He is a thorough-bred professional with an eye of hindsight on issues bothering on social justice, purposeful leadership, and a society where the leaders charge and work for the prosperity of the people.
