Nine months ago, specifically 4th of March 2020, the Osun state government through the ministry of Education announced that the state had set mercenaries in place to employ 3,500 teachers into the state teaching service. By this announcement, intending applicants were directed to purchase the PIN code that would be use to register online from the state Secretariat at the rate of N3,500.
With optimism and excitement and the hope of making it through all the stages of recruitment and subsequently get employed, intending applicants trooped to the secretariat on daily basis to secure the PIN code. However, In considering the pains prospective applicants encountered at the State Secretariat in Abere, the State Ministry of Education decentralised the sales of PIN Codes into five different centres across the state; State Secretariat Abere; Union Bank, Osogbo and district Education Offices at Ikirun, Ile-Ife and Ikire.
This, according to government officials was to ensure that the exercise be made easy for applicants from distant location to the state capital.
Now sooner than the recruitment exercise commenced that the coronavirus pandemic found its way into Nigeria. This led to the shut down of the economy, public and private sectors as well as government activities. As a result of this, the recruitment exercise was placed on hold.
VOICE AIR MEDIA reporter confirmed that the applicants were not properly informed about when the process would resume.
However, now that the lockdown imposed by the federal and state government had been relaxed and the “embargo” placed on government activities been lifted, what is responsible for the failure and inability of the state’s ministry of education to continue the suspended teacher’s recruitment process?
You will recall that some state and federal government parastaltas had also kickstart their recruitment process before COVID-19 pandemic truncated every government business, but some of these government outfits have since concluded the processes while others are in the concluding stage. The Oyo state Teaching Service Commission and the Nigerian Navy are among public bodies that have concluded their recruitment while National Immigration Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp are almost at the end stage of the process. What could then be ascribed as the reason behind the delay presently being witnessed in the case of Osun state ministry of Education?
Applicants losing hope and faith in the process
Our reporter met with some of the applicants and many of them expressed disappointment at the government’s failure to continue the process on time, noting that they are already giving up on the process.
Mrs. Adejoke Salam (not real name) who is now working in a private school disclosed that she opted for the to work in the private school after waiting for so long without any information from the state government. She disclosed revealed further she nurses the fear that the process, if eventually continued may not be transparent.
Another applicant, Usman Adedayo said he had lost hope in the process and is not looking forward to its continuation.
“We have waited for so long and nothing is being heard, the government is not saying anything so it means they were not sincere with the recruitment in the first instance and even if they call us for examination, they already know those they will employ”. He said.
Government speaks
While setting the records straight on the matter, Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Hon Jamiu Olawumi in a telephone conversation with VAM News’ reporter explained that the delay was as a result of the coronavirus pandemic that brought governmental activities to a standstill. He revealed that the next stage of the process which is computer based recruitment test, will be conducted as soon as the second wave of the pandemic is over.
He also warned members of the public against fraudsters going about with fake news that the sales of form is still out, emphasising that the form had closed since April 4.
He said further that information about the recruitment test will be passed to all applicants through appropriate channels.
“The test will be conducted by JAMB and successful applicants will be chosen by merit”. Olawumi said.
