The Anambra State government says its sacking of 1,000 teachers in April was because they were employed in a vague manner and were unqualified.
A statement signed by Chris Aburime, Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s Press Secretary on Thursday, said that no qualified teacher was dismissed by the government.
“For the avoidance of doubt, no qualified teacher in the state’s school system has been relieved of his/her appointment.
“The affected PTA teachers were ‘converted’ to the school system in the last days of the last administration in irregular, hazy circumstances.
“They were only asked to regularise their employment with the government by taking part in the online teachers’ recruitment test.
“The idea is to ensure that only those with requisite qualifications, proven capacity, and commensurate experiences are recruited into the system,” the statement explained.
The dismissed teachers had protested at the Anambra State House of Assembly, asking the lawmakers to intervene.
They were issued permanent appointment letters in November 2021 by the administration of Governor Willie Obiano, after serving as Parents/Teachers Association (PTA) teachers.
Some of them said they served for between two and seven years as PTA teachers before their conversion.
They also argued that they were worthy of regularised employment if they could be engaged as PTA teachers.
The Anambra State government, however, said the termination of their appointments was in line with the administration’s repositioning of the education system.
Who are PTA Teachers?
The Parents/Teachers Association (PTA) teachers are tutors hired by the Parents Teachers Associations of various schools to bridge the shortfall of teachers in schools.
They were engaged during the Obiano administration and earned below regular wages.
They were converted to permanent staff in Anambra State schools just before the end of Governor Obiano’s government.
