Cross River SUBEB, NUT And Fake Teachers BY NANDI BETTE
Columnists Education Opinion Politics

Cross River SUBEB, NUT And Fake Teachers BY NANDI BETTE

Nandi Bette
Nandi Bette

After several months of staff verification, the Cross River State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has announced that there are over seven hundred (700) teachers with fake certificates on her payroll.

The Board Chairman, Dr. Stephen Odey further disclosed that various tertiary institutions across the country were contacted to verify the certificates and it was confirmed that the papers were forged.

To cap it all, the SUBEB Chairman announced that the Governor, Senator Professor Ben Ayade has in his “magnanimity” directed that the affected teachers should not be dismissed. Rather, they should be demoted and given a chance to properly acquire “genuine” certificates.

Curiously, in his reaction, the State Chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Comrade Eyo-Nsa Itam reportedly commended the Board’s decision and thanked the State Governor for not “removing food from the tables of many families”. He applauded the Governor for being a “caring father.”

This reaction from the NUT is, to say the least, very disturbing. And it is unfortunate.

Is the NUT there just to protect her members? What happens to the Basic Education system? Does the NUT place any value on the children who are the prime focus of the UBE program? Are there any mechanisms put in place by the union to effect Quality Assurance in teaching and learning?

It is disheartening that the NUT will support a State policy that will further erode standards at the very foundation level of the Education sub-sector.

A lot of matters arise on this issue of “fake” teachers.

In the first place, these people forged the papers used for employment. The implication is that they took this path of dishonor because they were unfit to pass the examinations that should qualify them as teachers.

This leaves us with the serious issue of quackery in the teaching profession. As it is, the teaching profession which should attract the best brains in the land is still being thrown open to all manner of persons, in spite of the existence of the Teachers Registration Council (TRC).

Secondly, it is fraudulent for anyone to forge a certificate. This is a criminal offence. By the continued retention of this category of teachers in her employ, what signal is the government of Cross River State sending to the civilized world?

On what moral grounds will these teachers stand to mould the characters of the tender kids entrusted to their care?

During the early days of Education in this clime, the Missionaries insisted on the integrity and characters of those engaged to function in their schools as teachers.

With policies such as this, how will Cross River State ever get out of the present malaise of examination malpractice, cultism, kidnapping, and general insecurity?

Nandi Bette writes from Ikom in Central Cross River State

 

    • 7 years ago

    I agree with you, Nandi Bette.

    Why embark on such resource depleting exercise of certificate verification only to do nothing at the end? Both the government and union have just demonstrated to all that it pays to commit crimes! They also have demonstrated that they do not stand for quality in education!

    The government should have dismissed those with forged documents and employ new qualified applicants which would have given credence to the exercise and sent a strong message that it is wrong to commit crimes.

    The comment by the State Chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Eyo-Nsa Itam, is unfortunate. It shows that the union’s objectives are self-serving and are certainly not for the good of thoe being served.

    My question to Comrade Eyo-Nsa Itam is does he or the union supports the government for “removing food from the tables of many families” who are unemployed but possess teaching certificates?

    • 7 years ago

    It is said that no society can grow above the level of it’s educational system. A situation where those that should insist on quality assurance in our educational system are becoming complacent, adding momentum to the downward spin of our ailing school system by covering for obviously unqualified teachers is worrisome.
    It is a bad precedence if those without proper qualification are allowed in the classrooms as teachers while hundreds of those with proper qualification are roaming the streets jobless. Mediocrity should never be tolerated in our schools system lest we consign CRS to the dustbin of educational backwardness.

    • 7 years ago

    I wish to bring to the notice of the state commissioner for education and the state Government that some Primary schools are over staff while some government secondary schools are under staff so, i wish to appeal to the authority consent to deploy teachers who are interested to the state secondary schools.this may balance our education system.
    Am Mr Bakiu Anderson E.

    • 7 years ago

    so bad,exasperating and criminal.makes no sense,so what was the essence of fishing out such fake folks?,to encourage them ana other? Absolutely wrong frm the governor

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