Enugu introduces volunteer teachers’ scheme

By Tony Edike
ENUGU—Enugu State government has introduced measures that would enhance teaching and learning in its school system and give a boost to the education sector.

Towards this end, the State Executive Council has approved the engagement of volunteer teachers to teach in primary and post-primary schools, in addition to the two thousand teachers soon to be employed for secondary schools in the state.

Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chuks Ugwuoke, who announced this while briefing newsmen at the end of the State Executive Council meeting, explained that two thousand of the volunteer teachers would be posted to primary schools, while one thousand will go to the secondary section.

According to Ugwuoke, teachers to be used for the short-term engagement teaching service include “retired but not tired” teachers and others who qualified as professional teachers in the state, on monthly stipends of N18,000.

The Information Commissioner also disclosed that the engaged volunteer teachers will serve in schools within their rural communities to fill gaps in some subject areas, especially in primary and post-primary schools.

Ugwuoke, who was accompanied by his education and rural development counterparts, Dr. Simon Ortuanya and Dr. Eric Oluedo, as well as Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Mr. Victor Agbo, said the engagement of the teachers was part of government’s youth empowerment and poverty reduction scheme, adding that it would also provide good breeding ground for selection of future teachers in the state.

The council also approved the institutionalization of Teachers’ Excellence award as an  incentive to motivate the teachers and also recognize hard work and appreciate excellence in that sector of the economy.

Some of the criteria for the exercise will include punctuality, attendance to classes keeping of school records, class teaching and control among others.