A wave of protests erupted in Jigawa State as thousands of temporary J-Teach teachers demonstrated their dissatisfaction, resulting in the disruption of the ongoing teacher recruitment aptitude test organized by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
The Explainer learned that the chairman of SUBEB, Prof. Haruna Musa, narrowly escaped the protest in one of the test centers located at the Federal University Dutse (FUD).
J-Teach is a Jigawa state government’s scheme which recruits class room teachers on a casual basis to fill up vacancies under the state’s Ministry for Higher Education and Information Technology.
The protesting candidates claimed that certain officials were planning to hijack the recruitment process, going against the explicit instructions of Governor Umar Namadi, who had called for transparency in the selection process.
Abbas Aujara, the spokesperson for the aggrieved J-Teach candidates, expressed their grievances to the media, explaining that they had been recruited as J-Teach staff two years earlier. During this time, they had undergone multiple aptitude tests and verification exercises.
Aujara emphasized the commitment and contributions made by the J-Teach teachers, noting the modest allowances they received while working towards the educational development of Jigawa State. He highlighted the governor’s recent directive to consider them for permanent positions as teachers, which led to their screening and documentation in accordance with the state’s civil service rules.
The controversy arose when the candidates were invited to undergo yet another aptitude test alongside a significant influx of new faces who were not part of the J-Teach program. This unexpected development raised suspicions among the J-Teach teachers, fuelling concerns that the recruitment process was being manipulated for ulterior motives.
Aujara expressed worries that some individuals intended to undermine the governor’s efforts to revitalize the education sector by hiring unqualified teachers, solely driven by their self-interests. Consequently, the J-Teach teachers decided to block the ongoing aptitude test, insisting on the need for fairness and adherence to the governor’s agenda.
Considering the gravity of the situation, the Chief of Staff at the Government House in Dutse, Mustapha Kiyawa, received the aggrieved J-Teach teachers and promised to convey their grievances to the governor. He assured them that their concerns would be seriously addressed and justice would prevail in the matter.
