Nigeria Has A Shortage Of Over 250,000 Teachers In Basic Education Sector – Hamid Bobboyi

The Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Hamid Bobboyi, has revealed that Nigeria has a shortage of 277, 537 teachers at the basic level.

He recently revealed this via a statement issued by the commission’s Head of Public Relations and Protocol, Mr David Apeh, and made available to newsmen, in Abuja.

According to a National Personnel Audit (NPA) it conducted on Public and Private Basic Education Schools in the country, while 73 per cent of those teaching in public schools were qualified teachers, only 53 per cent of teachers in private schools were qualified to teach.

He added that he hopes with the current reforms that are being put in place where you attract the best candidates into the teaching profession and compensate them adequately, the narrative will change.

His words, “Our hope is that with the current reforms that are being put in place where you attract the best candidates into the teaching profession and compensate them adequately, the narrative will change.”

“We remain the biggest teacher development agency in the country, not even the National Teachers’ Institute or any other agency.

”UBEC’s 10 per cent of the entire amount that is received from the Consolidated Revenue Fund is designated for Teacher Professional Development, through the States’ Universal Basic Education Boards.

”That is something that is very important for us to realise that we pump in a minimum of N10 billion every year for Teacher Professional Development in this countryz.”