Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has presented appointment letters to 2,158 newly recruited teachers for the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), describing the exercise as a major milestone in his administration’s efforts to revitalise the education sector.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony in Katsina on Friday, the governor said the recruitment followed a transparent, merit-based and inclusive process designed to ensure that qualified teachers are deployed to schools according to their staffing and subject requirements.
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He said the exercise aligns with his administration’s Building Your Future development agenda, which prioritises investment in human capital through improved access to quality education.
“Today marks another important milestone in our unwavering commitment to rebuilding and repositioning the education sector in Katsina State. It reflects our determination to invest in our people and equip the younger generation with quality education,” Governor Radda said.
Describing education as the most powerful instrument for societal transformation, the governor stressed that sustained investment in the sector remains critical to the state’s long-term development.
He recalled that his administration recruited and deployed 7,323 teachers in 2023 and employed more than 1,800 healthcare workers earlier this year, describing the latest recruitment as another strategic investment in human capital development.
Governor Radda highlighted key interventions undertaken by his administration to improve education, including the construction of more than 49 junior and senior secondary schools, the establishment of three Special Smart Schools, the rehabilitation of over 340 primary schools, teacher capacity-building programmes, provision of instructional materials, payment of public examination fees and the expansion of digital learning initiatives.
He disclosed that more than 25,000 teachers have received professional training, while the government introduced a ₦30,000 rural teachers’ allowance, distributed 18,000 digital tablets to schools, procured electronic motorcycles for teachers serving in hard-to-reach communities and established the Centre for Teacher Development and Training.
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According to the governor, the recruitment exercise was the first in the state’s history to be conducted strictly on the basis of the staffing requirements of individual schools and subject specialisation.
Congratulating the successful applicants, he urged them to uphold professionalism, integrity and dedication in the discharge of their responsibilities, describing them as mentors and role models entrusted with shaping the future of Katsina’s children.
Governor Radda also directed the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education to collaborate with the Centre for Teacher Development and Training and the recruitment committee to organise a comprehensive induction programme for all newly recruited teachers.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Hon. Yusuf Suleiman Jibia, said the recruitment process demonstrated the administration’s commitment to transparency and excellence in public service.
He revealed that 64,598 applications were received, from which 8,889 candidates were shortlisted after screening. Of these, 3,683 candidates passed the Computer-Based Test and progressed to the oral interview stage before 2,158 applicants were finally selected.
“The recruitment was entirely merit-based. No public office holder interfered in the process, while deployment was determined by the staffing needs of schools and subject specialisation,” the commissioner said.
Jibia added that the Radda administration has recruited more than 9,000 teachers since assuming office in 2023, describing it as the largest teacher recruitment exercise since the creation of Katsina State.
In his remarks, the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Dr. Kabir Magaji, commended the governor for prioritising education through investments in teacher recruitment, school infrastructure, capacity building and learning resources.
He said the employment of the new teachers would improve teacher-pupil ratios, enhance classroom instruction and contribute significantly to raising educational standards across the state.
Speaking on behalf of the newly recruited teachers, Ashiru Nura expressed appreciation to the governor for providing equal employment opportunities through a transparent recruitment process.
He pledged that the successful applicants would discharge their duties diligently and urged his colleagues to uphold integrity, professionalism and commitment in service.
The ceremony was attended by the Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Nasir Yahaya Daura, members of the State Executive Council, senior government officials and stakeholders in the education sector.