The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has called on the Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, to immediately issue appointment letters to qualified applicants who participated in the state’s teacher recruitment exercise over a year ago.
In a letter signed by its State Chairman, Comrade Olowu Emmanuel, and addressed to the governor through the Ministry of Education, the group expressed concern over the prolonged delay in formalizing the employment of successful candidates, despite their successful completion of the recruitment process.
Governor Adeleke had, on February 16, 2024, approved the recruitment of 5,000 teachers for primary and secondary schools as well as 250 education officers. According to CDHR, 32,000 applicants registered for the recruitment by purchasing forms worth ₦2,000 each. Of these, 27,000 sat for the examination held on March 27 and 28, 2024. The results were released on April 17, followed by interviews conducted in September.
“Thirteen months have now passed, and no appointment letters have been issued to successful applicants,” the statement read. “This silence has negatively impacted the education sector in Osun State, as many classrooms remain without adequate teaching staff.”
CDHR commended the state government for implementing the Teachers Elongation Policy, which has extended the service years of some teaching staff. However, it warned against relying solely on these beneficiaries while sidelining newly recruited applicants.
The group also raised concerns about the deployment of untrained members of the Imole Youth Corps to schools, claiming it could harm the standard of education in the state.
“The continuous use of untrained corps members in place of professionally trained teachers should be halted,” the group said.
CDHR issued a five-day ultimatum to the state government, demanding the immediate release of appointment letters to all qualified candidates, warning that continued delay could further destabilize the state’s education system.
“We urge the Ministry of Education to act swiftly and ensure that the integrity and future of Osun’s public schools are not further compromised,” the statement concluded.