Nasarawa state governor Engr. Abdullahi Sule has again directed that only competent and qualified persons should be considered for employment in the on-going teacher recruitment exercise in the state.

A statement issued by Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Malam Ibrahim Addra said the Governor’s directive is coming on the heels of reports reaching his office that some unscrupulous individuals are extorting money from applicants with the promise of offering them employment. He warns that due process must be followed at every stage of the exercise and only the best should be considered.

The governor spoke during a meeting in his office with the Chairman and commissioners of the Teachers Service Commission at the Government House in Lafia.

Engr. Sule noted that having conducted a Baseline Survey, the dream of his administration of repositioning education in the state will be a mirage unless competent teachers are recruited to teach in our schools.

According to him “one of the ways we intend to achieve qualitative education is to completely insulate our teacher recruitment process from political sentiments and undue interference”.

He challenged the management of the Teacher’s Service Commission to resist pressures from any quarters to favour unqualified candidates.

Governor Sule adds that “there are qualified and competent prospective teachers in each LGA of the state and so the recruitment of 550 teachers must reflect a fair distribution so that every constituency is represented. If the TSC is found guilty of unfairness, the exercise will not be accepted”.

He also admonished that everyone must realise that putting unqualified persons in teaching positions will amount to incalculable damage to the future of our children and generations come.