NUJ Condemns Acute Shortage of Primary School Teachers in A’Ibom
-as investigation reveals schools in Ini without teachers
By Shadrach Okon
Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Akwa Ibom State Council, has expressed displeasure over the acute shortage of primary school teachers in public primary schools in Akwa Ibom State, calling on Akwa Ibom State government through the State Ministry of Education to quickly intervene by recruiting new teachers to fill the gap and prevent the complete collapse of the public education system in Akwa Ibom State.
Members of NUJ, Akwa Ibom State Council expressed their displeasure over the issue through their communique issued at the end of the November edition of the monthly congress of the union held at NUJ Press Centre, Information Drive, Uyo.
This follows a concern raised by Comrade Ikouwem Obioefiok a journalist from Ini Local Government Area, during the State of the State deliberations by members of the union. Comrade Ikouwem Obioefiok while speaking during the union congress expressed dismay about a scenario he observed in Ini where most primary schools he visited recently in the local government operated with a staff strength of two or three teachers per school.
Commenting on the issue, the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Akwa Ibom State Council, Comrade Nsibiet John described primary schools as basic education hubs that should be properly funded and staffed to provide quality education for the younger generation in Akwa Ibom State. He called on Akwa Ibom State government to act swiftly by auditing the staff strength across all public primary and secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State, recruit and post teachers according to the need of each public school in the state and also provide special incentives for teachers posted to rural communities to encourage them discharge their duties effectively.
Members of the union in the state unanimously supported the motion and captured in the communique as one of the resolutions reached at the November Congress of NUJ Akwa Ibom State Council.
It would be recalled that the Guide Newspaper had in its previous publication reported that Akwa Ibom State under the APC led government of Pastor Umo Bassy Eno has been ranked among states in the country with the lowest budget provision for the education sector in 2025.
The report followed findings and data drawn from the 2025 approved budget of Akwa Ibom State, which revealed that the state government allocated ₦59.96 billion to education, a figure which when compared to other states in the federation position the state as 28th in hierarchy of states in the federation interms of funding allocated for education.
The Guide Newspaper also captured in the report that findings from investigations conducted around government -owned schools in Akwa Ibom State revealed that majority of public schools in the state operate class size of over 100 students to a teacher which violates UNESCO’s standard that recommends teacher students’ ratio of 1: 36.
