The Jigawa State Government has taken a significant step to address teacher shortages across the state by converting 1,200 former J-TEACH personnel to permanent and pensionable status. Additionally, the government has recruited 820 youths under the J-TEACH programme. This initiative aims to strengthen the teaching workforce and create jobs for qualified young people in the state. Governor Umar Namadi presented appointment letters to beneficiaries at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Dutse.
According to Governor Namadi, the 2,020 beneficiaries comprise 1,200 former J-TEACH personnel who completed the required training and selection process, and 820 newly recruited personnel. The governor stated that the appointments were designed to address inherited gaps in pupil-teacher and student-teacher ratios, particularly in underserved rural communities. This move is part of the government's efforts to improve education in the state.
The J-TEACH programme has been instrumental in expanding the teaching workforce in Jigawa State since 2023. Governor Namadi disclosed that 7,500 personnel had been brought into basic education through the programme, with 3,000 subsequently converted to permanent and pensionable appointments after training and competitive selection. At the post-basic level, nearly 2,000 personnel had entered through the same programme, with 1,000 later securing permanent status.
In addition to the appointments, the state government distributed 450 bicycles donated by Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) to pupils and students who travel long distances to schools in hard-to-reach communities. The governor said the gesture would reduce the burden of long-distance journeys to school and improve punctuality, attendance, and retention among beneficiaries. He commended the bank for supporting the government's efforts to improve access to education.
Governor Namadi emphasized that education remained central to his administration's vision for a "Greater Jigawa". He stressed that quality education was essential for individuals and communities to prosper in an increasingly technology-driven world. The governor noted that investments in classrooms, furniture, instructional materials, technology, and school governance must be matched by enough qualified, motivated, and properly supported teachers.
The governor directed the Ministry of Higher Education, its agencies, and school administrators to ensure that the latest appointments translated into measurable improvements in schools. He urged the newly appointed teachers to demonstrate punctuality, discipline, competence, and compassion, while embracing training and accepting deployment to areas where their services were most needed.
Some of the newly appointed workers expressed appreciation to the state government, pledging to abide by civil service rules and regulations and remain accountable in the discharge of their duties. The governor commended teachers for their resilience and dedication to educating children, saying the government would continue to support them through induction, mentoring, supervision, and fair performance assessment.
Key points
- The Jigawa State Government has converted 1,200 J-TEACH personnel to permanent staff and recruited 820 others to address teacher shortages.
- The initiative aims to strengthen the teaching workforce and create jobs for qualified young people in the state.
- The government has also distributed 450 bicycles to pupils and students in hard-to-reach communities to improve access to education.
