The three-month training for the 13,000 new teachers that have been employed by the Rivers State Ministry of Education is part of an induction recommended during the education summit in Port Harcourt, March this year.

Drawn from a template recommended by one of the summit speakers, Prof Joshua Aisiku and others, the induction was part of the continuous teacher development pro-gramme they will undergo while in the employ of the Rivers State government.

Prof Aisiku said the training will prepare them for classroom management and fill gaps in their pedagogical and knowledge skills such that when they are distributed to the over 100 model primary and secondary schools the state government has built and equipped in September, they will be able to offer the pupils quality education.

“New teachers must know how to meet the varying needs of students in their classrooms,” Aisiku said.

He added that though all the newly-employed teachers may not be First Class graduates, they can be groomed to become very good teachers.

Mr Charles Magbe of PriceWaterCoopers, the firm that handled the recruitment for the state, said the grooming is necessary for the teachers to deliver on the state’s objective of providing access to quality education for all school-aged pupils irrespective of socio-economic background.

“Post recruitment, government must continue to invest heavily in developing the teaching capacity of teachers. A rigorous programme of induction must be pu in place for the new hands; and close monitoring and appraisal of performance is important,” he said.

The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Country Director, Prof Hassana Alidou, Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi said the recruiting was in recognition of the important roles teachers play in the school system.

Since Governor Chibuike Amaechi declared a state of emergency in the education sector in 2008, the government has completed 264 of the 750 model primary schools it plans to build, 100 of which have been equipped and now in use.

However, Dame Lawrence-Nemi said the government recognises that infrastructural development alone will not automatically translate to good performance, hence the decision to recruit and train teachers to meet this important need.

With their employment, she added that the teachers will be filling a shortfall numbering tens of thousands as the rehabilitation of infrastructure had led to increased enrolment.

She said: “The recruitment of 13,000 teachers will reduce the burden of teachers teaching several subjects at a time, when in actual sense, they are meant to teach only one subject each. The 13,000 teachers will be distributed to the primary, junior secondary and senior secondary schools.

“The plan is aimed at boosting the manpower in the educational sector and reversing the poor performance of students in external examinations like WAEC and NECO.”

Mrs Lawrence-Nemi noted that this recruitment marks the end of the era of cutting of corners in terms of quality. She noted that the government wants to instill professionalism in the teaching profession.

Of the 13,000 teachers recruited, 90 per cent (11,700) are indigenes of the state, while 10 per cent of 1,300 are from other states.

The Commissioner said teachers already in the teaching force are not left out of professional development as the state has organised programmes for their training.

“The Ministry of Education is devoted to continuous teacher training and re-training in order to enhance specialisation and efficiency. The Ministry in partnership with the British Council and Cambridge University introduced the TKT Essentials training and certification. Today, well over 9,000 teachers across the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State, 75 per cent of who are in primary and junior secondary schools, have received in-service training.

“We also embarked on the re-certification and verification of teachers’ credentials in order to ascertain the current numerical strength of teachers in the state to ensure that only qualified teachers are allowed to teach in the Schools,” she said.

source [url][/url]http://thenationonlineng.net/new/education/new-rivers-teachers-for-training-2/[url][/url]

this is what is called dividend of democracy. An administrator that has outstanding penchant for quality. Most of those teachers are graduates and they will be deployed to teach in the ultra modern primary and secondary schools built by the state government after their training. Just as the state government has stated earlier that he is more interesting in the quality of teachers for those fortunate kids than the aesthetics of the schools. So if the standard of these schools keep people marveling you can only imagine the undertone of his assertion. Just imagine two of the over 200 completed primary schools (note: all the schools are of the same standard) scattered all over the state with well equipped ict facilities, basketball court, football pitch, farm yard etc.

Rivers o ni baje o.....

Eko Ile: Rivers o ni baje o.....

Eko Ile, wat of Fash. Wen is he given Lagos peeps dis type of facilities. Jus a question though

When we say our governor is the Golden Governor, we mean what we say.

stebell: Eko Ile, wat of Fash. Wen is he given Lagos peeps dis type of facilities. Jus a question though

he will be a fool to answer such foolish question.

Why dnt u get down to lagos and feed ur souls tru ur eyes?

stebell: Eko Ile, wat of Fash. Wen is he given Lagos peeps dis type of facilities. Jus a question though

something similar was done in Lagos last year, & submission of applications for massive tutors recruitment was done in Ogun earlier in this year. But the proper recruitment is yet to start.

Amaechi was just doing well before all these political jobbers in Abuja and PHC sent him and GEJ on a collision course....smh

Gov. Ibikunle Amosun,,,,u dey hear

Wat cn i say?. GEJ Pls stop d fight. 13,000 instant supporters is added 2 d previous 1.

They hv nt bn fully recruited they r stil on verification of certificate n observant of protocol.cos apointment letter hv nt bn given 2 anybody.its nt over until is over cos this hv lingared so much since may last year.

u be baba mr ameachi..i pray they do another recruitment because i was actually serving then when they started recruiting..
i want to live,work and die in this rivers state..i was born here ohh
ameachi for senate 2013..carry go ohhh

@honestvo, Many thnx 4 the update...wondering if candidates who are indigenes but married to other states though resident in Ph are not qualified for recruitment evn though they posses the basic requirements?

Good job Gov Amaechi,its time to change the educational system,we need teachers with the passion nd zeal(like me) not those doing it cuz there's no job *team Amaechi*

cantab: @honestvo, Many thnx 4 the update...wondering if candidates who are indigenes but married to other states though resident in Ph are not qualified for recruitment evn though they posses the basic requirements?

Why not? So far she went through the entire recruitment process which began around April or May last year with purchase of scratch-card, online application, examination and interview. The process was very transparent for everyone. I believe they actually went for, and got the best hands!

Amosun is construbting roads and fly over bridge where he intend to accomodate the criminals and jobless flush out from Lagos state

Archmed: Gov. Ibikunle Amosun,,,,u dey hear

honestivo: They hv nt bn fully recruited they r stil on verification of certificate n observant of protocol.cos apointment letter hv nt bn given 2 anybody.its nt over until is over cos this hv lingared so much since may last year.

my dear am one of d successful applicants and 2 tell u bro u just don't issue out appointment letters without certain verification,d examination was conducted by jamb and a big recruiting firm in london,d guy try too much, we ve gotten d job and d verification exercise is very strict u no get am be say u no get am

This is what good governance is all about, keep it up my able governor.

cantab: @honestvo, Many thnx 4 the update...wondering if candidates who are indigenes but married to other states though resident in Ph are not qualified for recruitment evn though they posses the basic requirements?

Yes, infact 10% of the positions were given to non-indigenes.

Kudos to Rivers state Governor, the recruitment process was really free and fair...The successful applicants are on the process of getting their appointment letter..

thats exactly what the people expects

I am fortunate †̥̥Ơ̴̴̴͡ be among d employed teachers. God has used gov Amechi †̥̥Ơ̴̴̴͡ bless us so God will continue †̥̥Ơ̴̴̴͡ bless him and his entire family. His enemies will live †̥̥Ơ̴̴̴͡ hear d testimony of his Victory. Govonor Amechi is d boss who can test.

Thank God 13,000 x 10 lives will be changed for good. Well done River State leaders.

Amaechi is trying when it comes to education in rivers state, but why is it only teaching job that amaechi has to offer year in year out, how much are these teachers been paid?

As far as am concern Govornor Rotimi Amaechi Is the best governor ..because i see the impact and evidences of his leadership as well as the dividend of democracy. If the past govornors had done what he is doing now, Rivers State would have being another small beautiful country on his own...bad pot belle politician who believe he is doing too much are the one fighting him to rubish is leadership so as to hide their inefficiency. Ameachi Carry Go Jare...them no reach, won kere si number wa.