Four weeks after the resumption of students in Osun State for the 2023/2024 academic session, the state government is yet to officially engage the 5,000 teachers it promised to recruit.
The recruitment exercise commenced seven months ago after the state executive council approved the recruitment of 5,000 teachers to fill the vacancies in the state teaching service.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that the state government, after approving the recruitment on February 8, 2024, sold forms to interested candidates with the CBT test held on March 7.
The medium recalls that the state government had promised that the teachers would resume at their places of assignment at the start of the current academic session.
Commissioner for Education, Dipo Eluwole, while speaking with OSUN DEFENDER on July 31, 2024, assured residents that the 5,000 teachers will be on ground when schools resume.
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He said, “I want to tell you that the recruitment exercise will be on merit. There won’t be any favouritism towards our party members.
“I want to tell you that before the schools resume for the next session, everything will be in place,” Eluwole noted.
The medium also noted that the state government on September 05 announced the cut-off mark for each subject in the ongoing teachers’ recruitment exercise.
In the figures released, the cut-off mark for the Education Officer category includes English Language – 48, Mathematics – 48, Government – 62, Agricultural Science – 50, Biology – 52, Civic Education – 58, Computer Studies – 54, Economics – 56, Yoruba – 46.
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For TESCOM category, the marks include English Language – 48, Mathematics – 46, Agricultural Science – 60, Commerce – 60, Economics – 60, and Civic Education – 70.
After announcing the cut-off mark, the state government also directed eligible applicants to proceed for interview.
OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the interview was scheduled between Monday, 9th to Friday, September 13, 2024.
However, 28 days after the interview, the exercise is yet to be concluded.
When contacted on why the state is yet to fulfil its promise of getting the recruited teachers ready for the ongoing academic session, Commissioner for Education, Eluwole, said he is yet to receive the report of the interview.
He told OSUN DEFENDER that the recruitment process will be concluded very soon.
Eluwole said, “Don’t be too in a hurry. Very soon, the recruitment will be completed.
“The report of the interview will be submitted this week and when it is submitted, we will proceed with the next step.”