The Abia State Government has commenced a five-day capacity-building workshop for 4,074 newly recruited teachers as part of efforts to strengthen teaching quality and improve learning outcomes across the state.
Governor Alex Otti declared the workshop open on Tuesday in Umuahia, describing the recruitment and training exercise as a major component of his administration’s ongoing reforms in the education sector.
Otti, who was represented by the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Goodluck Ubochi, said the recruitment reflected the “New Abia” administration’s commitment to transparency and merit in public-sector employment.
“We recruited 4,074 of the 21,000, who succeeded without knowing anybody,” the governor said.
He urged the newly recruited teachers to take their responsibilities seriously and protect their employment by demonstrating competence and commitment.
Otti warned that their continued employment would depend on their performance, telling the teachers that their names were still “written in pencil”.
“If you (newly recruited teachers) do well, the environment will notice and acknowledge you,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Chigozie Ekeoma, described the workshop as more than a routine orientation programme, saying it represented a milestone in the state’s education reforms.
Ekeoma said investments in school infrastructure alone would not transform the education system without qualified and committed teachers.
“You are the operational foundation of this reform,” she told the participants.
She charged the new teachers to demonstrate professionalism, punctuality and dedication to their duties, while continuously improving their skills.
The Permanent Secretary also assured the teachers that the ministry would provide the necessary tools, mentorship and enabling environment to support them in their new roles.
The Chairman of the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB), Lydia Onuoha, said the teachers emerged from a rigorous recruitment process involving computer-based tests and interviews.
According to her, the exercise attracted 36,000 applicants, from whom the successful candidates were selected.
Onuoha described teaching as an elevated and divine calling, urging the new recruits to approach the profession with the seriousness it demands.
She also advised them to “dress like teachers”, stressing that “teaching is a noble profession”.
The ASUBEB chairman encouraged the participants to pay attention, take notes and make the most of the five-day training.
She assured them that the board was prepared to support their professional development and help improve the quality of basic education in the state.
In a goodwill message, the Director of the Secondary Education Management Board, Christiana Eze, thanked the governor for providing the opportunity for the teachers to join the state’s education workforce.
Eze promised that education managers would support and groom the new teachers, assuring the governor that his investment in their recruitment and training would yield results.
The state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Friday Madu, also welcomed the new recruits into the teaching profession.
Madu said the Otti administration had recruited more than 5,000 teachers in 2025 and over 4,000 in 2026, describing the recruitment drive as significant for the state’s education workforce.
He assured the new teachers of the support of the NUT, as well as the Association of Principals and Head Teachers.
The five-day workshop is expected to equip the newly recruited teachers with the professional knowledge and skills required to begin their assignments effectively, while reinforcing the state government’s emphasis on merit, accountability and continuous professional development in the education sector.
