April 23, (THEWILL) — The Commissioner for Education, Primary and Secondary, Prof. Bernard Ikegwuoha, stated that the goal of the State government is to provide quality, affordable education and restore public confidence in the system.
Presenting his scorecard before journalists in Owerri on Thursday, Professor Ikegwuoha described the recruitment as “transparent, merit-based, and tailored to the specific needs of the classroom”, adding that the exercise was carried out with the approval of Governor Hope Uzodimma.
“We employ these teachers based on specific expertise that we require, such as physics, chemistry, biology, data processing, and agriculture, which dominated the recruitment exercise. We also hired English, literature, and Igbo teachers”, he said.
According to him, the newly recruited teachers, alongside 235 non-tutorial staff, would be deployed across the state at a 60/40 ratio—60 percent to primary schools and 40 percent to secondary schools — through the Secondary Education Management Board (SEMB).
He explained that the recruitment was designed not only to fill vacancies but also to reposition the education system towards science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)-driven learning.
“Today, what we are looking for is education that is steeped in research and STEM”, Ikegwuoha stated.
The Commissioner further disclosed that successful applicants underwent a six-week training programme at the Benjamin Uwajimogu College of Education, Ihitte Uboma, and are currently undergoing final verification of their credentials before receiving their employment letters.
In a bid to ease the burden on teachers, he noted that postings would be done within their local government areas and, where possible, their immediate communities.
Beyond recruitment, Ikegwuoha highlighted significant strides in the ministry’s internally generated revenue (IGR), which rose from ₦94.7 million between March 2024 and March 2025 to over ₦501 million in the current review period.
He attributed the growth to improved financial management and digitisation, noting that the reforms align with the broader fiscal transformation agenda of the state government.
The Commissioner also declared zero tolerance for illegal practices within the sector, revealing that the ministry had shut down unapproved private schools and intensified the crackdown on examination malpractice and extortion.
“We have banned all forms of illegal collections in schools. No child should be denied admission or learning because of unlawful demands”, he said.
He added that a public reporting mechanism had been introduced, with dedicated phone lines for citizens to report misconduct, stressing that he personally conducted undercover visits to schools to uncover infractions.
Ikegwuoha further announced a landmark textbook policy that stipulates that books should be replaced only every four years, a move aimed at reducing the financial burden on parents.
“All textbooks cannot, should not, and must not have workbooks embedded in them”, he emphasised.
On digital reforms, the Commissioner said the ministry has introduced an online platform for accessing First School Leaving Certificate results, while all examination payments are now processed electronically to eliminate fraud.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a transparent, efficient and student-friendly education system, crediting Governor Uzodimma’s leadership for the ongoing transformation.
