Ondo State Government has increased the number of teachers in primary schools in the state with the employment of 900 National Certificate in Education (NCE) holders.
The state’s Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, stated the 900 were redeployed from the local government service into the state Universal Basic Education Board to address the need for more teachers in primary schools across the state.
Akinmade, who spoke in Akure today, stated a three-day refresher course for the teachers was holding in four zones in the state with a centre each in Ondo, Akure, Okitipupa and Ikare .
He added that the opening ceremony of the course, which ends on Thursday was performed by the state Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, at the Akure centre.
Akinmade, who stated the deployment was to address the challenge of shortage of teachers in schools, explained that government discovered that the NCE holders were being underutilised in the local government areas.
He added that the former local government workers were moving from the era of redundancy to the era of full engagement, describing them as round pegs in round holes.
Addressing the teachers at the opening ceremony of the course, Mimiko charged them to be diligent in the discharge of their duties and contribute their quota to the improvement of standard of education in the state.
As stated by him, the deployment was an opportunity for them to use their wealth of experience to improve on the state of education.
“You have the opportunity to mould the future of the state and Nigeria, so you should be up and doing,” he stated.
The Head of Service, Toyin Akinkuotu, explained that the deployment was to enhance productivity in the service.
“In view of the economic situation in the country, the governor has thought it right to redeploy you to enhance productivity,” he stated.