Lagos State Government has concluded plans to employ at least 2,000 teachers in another few months to boost the standard of public primary school education in the state ahead of school reopening in the state.
Additionally, officials from Lagos have joined representatives from other states to deliberate with the Federal Government to design possible guidelines that would be adopted when need arise for schools to reopen in the country.
Commissioner for Education, Folashade Adefisayo confirmed these development while discussing Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration plans for education on an online show, Covinspiration show, moderated by a United Nations (UN) Youth Ambassador, Dayo Isreal, to keep the public abreast of the administration activities in the last one years.
Expressing her dissatisfaction with the outbreak of coronavirus in the state, Adefisayo hinted that the pandemic has held the ministry of education back in the completion of its plans for the sector.
The Commissioner stated that the administration after assumption of office decided to address the challenges in education aggressively in 2020 but the pandemic spread to Lagos halted plans for education.
Meanwhile, she noted that the Ministry officials immediately rolled up their sleeves to fast track completion of 2020 plans which includes recruitment of teachers after President Muhammadu Buhari lifted the lockdown earlier imposed on Lagos and other states to assist Nigeria gain control over coronavirus
“The most important aspect of learning is the quality of teachers and we did not have enough teachers to actualize the set plan for learning in our public schools. And one of the earliest things we requested for and was granted by the governor was the recruitment of teachers.
“We have concluded the recruitment of 1,000 secondary school teachers. And we are currently working on the recruitment of 2,000 teachers for public primary schools. And we are looking at employing teachers every quarter because the rate of retirement of teachers is very high in Lagos. The administration has granted the ministry permission to replace retired teachers.
“Aside from recruitment, we have spent a lot on the training of current teachers to improve their teaching skills in classrooms.
“And this COVID-19 period was the time when we were able to do a lot of things in the education sector of Lagos state”, she added.
