The Zamfara State Government has declared that appointments of school principals and other education administrators will henceforth be based on merit and professional qualifications rather than political connections
The state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon Abdulmalik Gajam, disclosed this on Saturday at the closing ceremony of the Global Standard Teacher Transformation Programme held at the conference hall of the Zamfara State College of Arts and Science (ZACAS), Gusau.
Gajam said the government was determined to change the narrative of education in the state by promoting professionalism, merit, accountability and continuous capacity development among teachers and education administrators
He said candidates would no longer need to approach politicians, government officials or local government chairmen to secure appointments or positions of responsibility in the education sector
“Nobody becomes principal only because he knows somebody big in the government When you have the qualification, when you meet the criteria, you don’t need to beg,” he said.
The commissioner urged teachers and education administrators to improve their qualifications, build their professional profiles and remain committed to their responsibilities, assuring them that the ministry had adequate data to identify deserving personnel
He said the policy was aimed at ensuring that qualified personnel were assigned to positions that matched their experience and professional competence
According to him, it would be unacceptable for a highly qualified officer, particularly one with expertise in subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology, to be denied leadership opportunities in specialised schools in favour of less qualified personnel
“That is never going to happen under my watch We are going to make sure it is based on merit,” Gajam said.
He also warned directors, heads of agencies, principals and teachers against demanding or accepting money from applicants, students or members of the public in exchange for services
“No director or head of agency would collect money from you ever again Though if you bribe us, we will punish you. We do not ask you for anything. Just teach these children, because they have nobody but us,” he said.
The commissioner further warned against examination malpractice, extortion of students, abuse of office, corruption and misuse of public property
He said officials who engaged in such practices would face sanctions, stressing that honesty, discipline and commitment would be rewarded under his leadership
Gajam also called on teachers, principals and other education stakeholders to hold the government accountable whenever policies and entitlements were not implemented
“We can’t have a society if there is no accountability We have to be accountable to ourselves so that we can build a better society,” he said.
He said the government was determined to change the perception of Zamfara outside the state, stressing that the state should not continue to be defined by insecurity, illiteracy and the number of out-of-school children
“It is time we set a future across Nigeria, because we have the capacity We have the zeal. We can compete with any other state in Nigeria,” he said.
Earlier, the Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Mani Malam Mummuni Masamar Mudi, represented by the state Head of Service, Malam Yakubu Sani Haidara, congratulated participants of the training programme on its successful completion
The Deputy Governor said the programme, organised by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology for teachers, quality assurance evaluators and education administrators, was part of the government’s efforts to strengthen the state’s education system
He said education remained a cornerstone of the administration’s Rescue Mission Agenda, noting that the government had declared a state of emergency in the sector and continued to invest in infrastructure, teacher development, policies and institutional reforms
He urged participants to see the training as the beginning of a renewed commitment to excellence rather than an end in itself
The Deputy Governor said teachers were the foundation of every successful education system, while quality assurance evaluators had the responsibility of upholding standards and education administrators were critical to the implementation of reforms
He charged the participants to return to their respective schools, offices and communities and apply the knowledge and skills acquired during the programme to improve classroom practices, supervision, school leadership and learning outcomes
He commended the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, facilitators and partners involved in organising the programme, saying their efforts reflected the government’s vision of building a modern, inclusive and globally competitive education system
The Deputy Governor thereafter declared the training programme officially closed on behalf of the state government
Gajam, while highlighting some of the achievements of the administration in the education sector, said the government had fulfilled its promise to improve the welfare of teachers
He said teachers’ salaries, which he put at between N18,000 and N30,000 under the previous administration, had been raised to at least the N70,000 minimum wage
He also said some teachers who previously received as little as N7,000 now earn N70,000 monthly
The commissioner said the government had also addressed complaints over students being unable to obtain their WAEC and NECO certificates because of outstanding issues, adding that students were no longer being prevented from collecting their results
He said the administration had equally embarked on the renovation and provision of conducive learning environments in schools across the state
According to him, the 14-day Global Standard Teacher Transformation Programme was unprecedented in the history of the state, as participants were not only trained but also assessed on their professional capacity
“This is just the beginning We have started this, and insha Allah, we will continue to build on it,” Gajam said.
He urged school principals and other stakeholders to ensure that contractors executing projects in schools delivered according to specifications, saying the government would not tolerate substandard work
He also called on education managers to ensure that public resources meant for schools were properly utilised and protected
The commissioner said the ultimate objective of the reforms was to create an education system capable of producing students who could compete favourably with their counterparts across Nigeria and beyond