The Chairman, Oyo State Post Primary School Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), Pastor Akinade Alamu has said that over 400 holders of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree currently teach in public secondary schools in Oyo State.
According the The Nation, Pastor Alamu made the disclosure while speaking on the standard procedure Oyo State adopted in the recent recruitment of 5,000 teachers into state’s secondary schools across the 33 LGAs.
Alamu explained further that over 140,000 candidates applied for the job but less than 7,000 scored 50 per cent and above in the computer-based test (CBT) conducted to employ the best among applicants.
Alamu said 5,000 teachers that were eventually employed include 150 physically challenged persons after fulfilling oral interview and scrutiny of credentials.
Giving further details, the commission’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Grace Oderinde, explained that 167 of the newly recruited teachers hold PhD in various fields.
The permanent secretary said 550 of the successful candidates were non-indigenes of Oyo State because Governor Seyi Makinde insisted that only the best must be recruited into the schools, irrespective of their states of origin.
“The governor had no candidate. He directed that anyone to be recruited must pass the test and make the cut-off point. It didn’t matter if the candidate was the governor’s brother or sister.
“With that, TESCOM has set the standard, and I am sure that other agencies will emulate us. This government values merit because of its commitment to bringing the desired change into the system,” she said.
According to her, 400 applicants hold First-Class degrees in various disciplines.
Those who did not study Education were given two years to complete a post-graduate diploma in the discipline.
Mrs. Oderinde said the new teachers were posted according to the needs of the various zones across the state.
