Jigawa Govt Suspends 4 Education Secretaries, Withholds Salaries of 239 Teachers
By: Ahmed Amunu, Dutse
Jigawa State Government has suspended four education secretaries who have been shielding teachers who absconded from work for years.
The government also announced the immediate stoppage of the salaries of the 239 affected teachers, one of whom has not been to the school he was posted to for nine years, yet receiving salary.
The Syndicate reports that the suspended education secretaries were those of Kirikasamma, Auyo, Miga, and Maigatari Local Government Areas.
The Executive Chairman of the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Professor Haruna Musa, told newsmen in Dutse that the measures were taken after various complaints by parents of students in the affected schools.
“When we received the complaints, a meeting was summoned with the local education secretaries, and we asked them to find out and report to us the truth of the matter. When they reported back, we realised there was a differece from what we have from the public.
“Because of that, a verification committee was set up including myself to go round and verify, and we discovered insincerity on the part of affected local government education secretaries.
“There is one of Miga local government who reported that only one person absconded from the job, but during our verification, which I went there, I found only five teachers in the schools I visited.
“Another disheartening thing is, there is one of them who left his duty post for eight months and stayed in the office of a high ranking politician in this state. He ( politician) fully knows he is a teacher and not going to work, yet allowed him,” Professor Haruna said.
He said that the suspended education secretaries displayed crass negligence of duty by covering the teachers in their respective local areas.
Professor Haruna said that the disciplinary action aims to restore accountability and discipline within the basic education sector in the state.
“All of them must pay back to the government, the money they collected as salary within the period of their absence, the SUBEB executive chairman said.
He said that those accusing the board of witch-hunt over the matter were only being mischievous.
“Our efforts is to put things in order and make everyone to do the right thing. His Excellency Governor Malam Umar Namadi is doing his best, and has trusted us with the job to reduce the number of out of the schools children and give quality education to the children. We will do all our possible best and deliver on our responsibilities,” Professor Haruna said.
