In a renewed effort to strengthen the education sector, the Rivers State Government has approved the recruitment of 5,000 teachers into the state civil service.
The initiative is aimed at addressing manpower gaps and improving efficiency and service delivery across public schools in the state.
The Rivers State Executive Council granted the approval in its meeting yesterday at Government House, Port Harcourt, presided over by the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr. Honor Sirawoo, disclosed that the recruitment exercise will be strictly merit-based.
He emphasized that the employment process would be properly guided to ensure that only qualified and competent candidates are engaged.
“It should be noted that the process for the employment of the approved 5,000 persons will be carefully managed to guarantee transparency and merit”, Dr. Sirawoo stated.
According to him, 3,000 of the newly recruited teachers will be deployed to basic and primary schools, while the remaining 2,000 will be assigned to post-primary institutions.
This distribution, he noted, is targeted at strengthening service delivery in critical areas of the education system and improving learning outcomes across the state.
Dr. Sirawoo further revealed that the latest approval brings the total number of persons employed under the present administration to about 9,500, underscoring the government’s commitment to workforce expansion and job creation.
He recalled earlier recruitments carried out by the administration, including 2,000 personnel in the health sector, 1,500 staff for Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, and 1,000 workers for the Universal Basic Education Board, reflecting a sustained focus on key sectors.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment, Dr. Chisom Gbali, described the council’s decision as a major boost for youth employment and economic productivity in the state.
Dr. Gbali assured that his ministry would collaborate closely with the Ministry of Education to ensure that the recruitment process follows established standards.
He added that successful candidates would undergo adequate training and orientation programmes after employment.
The recruitment exercise is expected to cover various cadres, including teaching and administrative staff, to ensure a balanced and effective workforce for the state’s education sector
