The Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government has announced a new directive aimed at converting civil servants on levels 8 to 13 literally to the education sector to teach at the Federal Unity Colleges.
A circular to implement this, obtained by SaharaReporters, is coming despite the teeming population of unemployed Nigerian graduates in the country who are qualified.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the rate of unemployment in Nigeria rose to 33.3% in the last quarter of 2020 with many still unemployed and underemployed.
In the circular from the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation and dated July 23, the Federal Government urged interested staff members in the federal civil service to apply for positions in the education sector.
The circular which was signed by Permanent Secretary of the service M. Mamman and directed to all permanent secretaries was titled, “Call for application for conversion to education cadre in the civil service.”
It reads, “In an effort to strengthen the teaching profession for improved service delivery, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is inviting interested officers within the mainstream federal service, who desire to laterally convert to education officer cadre, to apply.
“To be eligible to participate in the initiative, interested officers must: (a) be confirmed and be within Salary Grade level 08 and 13 (b) have a minimum of a Bachelor degree with a (2nd Class Lower Division) or HND (Minimum of Upper Credit) in any of the following subjects: Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, Agricultural Science, Physical and Health Education, Computer Science, Integrated Science, Technical Drawing, Building tech, Electrical, Electronics, Plumbing among others.
“Be computer literate and prepared to undergo training that will qualify them to be registered with the Teacher Regulation Council of Nigeria; be willing to be posted to Federal Unity Colleges to teach; have up to 10 years remaining in the service.”
There are 104 Federal Unity Colleges in the country and there has been dearth of teachers in the schools and other public schools in the country as the government refused to employ qualified hands into the sector.
This story first appeared in Sahara Reporters
