By Adesina Wahab & Joseph Erunke

Henry, other name withheld, is a Mathematics graduate and has served for nearly 15 years as a teacher employed by the Parent Teacher Association, PTA, of one of the unity colleges in Lagos. He combines the job with special tutorials he gives to students across the metropolis. He has no choice because there is no way he can rely on the N50,000 monthly stipend he is paid.

Henry and teachers like him, dubbed PTA Teachers, have somehow become the backbone of the teaching staff in almost all unity colleges in the country and even in some public schools owned by state governments. The reason for their importance is not far-fetched, it has been over a decade that new teachers were recruited at federal level and even in some states. 

The issue of PTA Teachers has also become a source of friction in some PTA bodies in some colleges. The case of Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Lagos, is a typical example. The disbursement of funds allegedly to pay PTA Teachers created in crisis in the college a few years ago. It led to some students being suspended and the matter taken to court because their parents and guardians were pinpointed as the arrowheads of those calling for accountability in the use of PTA Levy. Also, the indiscriminate increase in PTA Levy in some colleges led to the Federal Ministry of Education pegging it at N12,000 per term. Some colleges were collecting up to N20,000 per term and the issue of accountability in the spending becoming  a source of trouble and friction in many PTA bodies.

The plight of PTA teachers, who have served for years and who are paid pittance, caught the attention of the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, during a visit to Kings College, Lagos some months back and he promised to look into the issue. Thankfully, President Bola Tinubu has approved that 3,252 long-serving PTA teachers in the unity colleges nationwide be considered for absorption into the Federal Civil Service. The move is expected to significantly ease the persistent shortage of teachers in Nigeria’s Federal Unity Colleges and improve the quality of teaching nationwide.

Alausa, who announced the development in Abuja, described the presidential approval as a watershed in the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to rebuild the nation’s education sector and strengthen the teaching workforce.

The recruitment is also expected to bring long-awaited relief to thousands of PTA teachers, many of whom have spent nearly 25 years teaching in Federal Unity Colleges and Federal Technical Colleges without permanent employment.

Alausa said the teachers would be absorbed into the mainstream public service after fulfilling all statutory requirements, noting that the exercise followed a rigorous verification conducted by an Inter-Ministerial Committee.

According to him, the committee verified 3,252 eligible teachers across the cadres of Education Officers, Assistant Education Officers and Technical Instructors. He said the recruitment would not only improve the teacher-student ratio in Federal Unity Colleges but also retain experienced educators whose years of classroom service have sustained learning despite staffing shortages.

“This is a President who cares deeply for Nigeria and for the future of our country,” Alausa said.

“The President has approved the recruitment of teachers. Priority will be given to absorbing verified PTA teachers, many of whom have served in our Federal Unity Colleges and Federal Technical Colleges for almost 25 years. This approval provides them with the opportunity to become part of the mainstream public service.”

The minister said integrating the experienced teachers into the federal workforce would preserve institutional knowledge, strengthen classroom instruction and improve learning outcomes across the colleges.

Alausa disclosed that the Ministry of Education was already working with relevant government agencies to complete the remaining statutory procedures required for the issuance of final letters of appointment in line with public service regulations.

He stressed that the government would continue to implement reforms aimed at strengthening the teaching profession, improving learning outcomes and ensuring that every child in the nation’s federal unity colleges is taught by qualified, motivated and professionally supported teachers.

There are over 50 PTA Teachers in Kings College 

Checks by Vanguard Learning showed that there are over 50 PTA Teachers in Kings College, Lagos, with some having put over 20 years of service. 

Speaking with one of our correspondents, the Chairman  of the PTA in the college, Mr Peter Oluwaseye, said the news of the imminent absorption of PTA Teachers into the Federal Civil Service is gladdening. “The news gladdens our hearts. We are waiting to see the number of PTA Teachers that they will absorb and then if there is anybody left, we will know how to take care of them. Until we see concrete steps being taken to actually absorb the PTA Teachers, we keep our fingers crossed.”

We have been on the issue since last year — Somefun

The Chairman  of the PTA, Southwest Unity Colleges, Mr Ayopo Somefun, said the association has been on the issue since last year.

“Last year, they sent a circular to us to submit names of academic and non-academic staff in the colleges, especially those that are PTA employed. We did and the people were screened accordingly. We genuinely hope that it is the names we submitted that are to be employed. 

“It will be a thing of joy if those people are truly engaged. Some have served for nearly 25 years and are being paid stipends when we all know the cost of living in the country. There is need to motivate those training our children who are our future.”

Vanguard News