By Josephine Oguntoyinbo

The Ondo State House of Assembly has charged the management of the State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) to recruit new teachers based on merit, to further raise the standard of education in the state.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Education, representing Akure North constituency, Kolawole Ologede, gave this advice while monitoring the screening exercise conducted for applicants who applied for teaching jobs in secondary schools in the state, alongside the Vice Chairman of the Committee, Sulaiman Murtala, at Fiwasaye Girls’ Grammar School, Akure.

According to him, merit-based employment is key to quality education; therefore, the management and officials should adhere strictly to best practices.

The lawmaker maintained that whoever wants to impact lives must possess the required academic qualifications and be fit for the task.

He observed that the exercise was conducted smoothly at the centre visited. “I give kudos to TESCOM for a successful exercise in the central senatorial district. I believe that other districts will also be hitch-free.

“Though an applicant presented three different birth certificates, while some have graduated for years without collecting the original certificates and are still parading notifications of results, it is not acceptable. One person graduated 21 years ago without the certificate, though there is no way we won’t find such cases.”

He appreciated Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for approving the recruitment of 1,200 teachers for secondary schools based on the report of a shortage of teachers.

According to him, the Committee is committed to performing its responsibilities towards enhancing the education sector in the state.

In an interview, the Administrative Secretary of the Teaching Service Commission, Mrs Morayo Bayo-Phillips, who assured that the selection would be merit-based, informed that the exercise has been hitch-free, even though the applicants were many.

“No applicants picked for this exercise scored less than 55. We are doing a thorough job to ensure that we recruit the best. I can assure you that it will be thorough, in order to boost the education system,” she added.

The three-day screening exercise, which started today in the central senatorial district, will end on Monday, August 19, 2024.