By Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti

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Ekiti State Government on Thursday announced the sudden reversal of the employment earlier given to successful candidates who applied for teaching jobs in the state.
The government also ordered for the refund of money paid by successful candidates in the recruitment exercise conducted by the State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) for the purchase of the Teaching Service Manual, Service Record and Job Cards among others.
The Chairman of TESCOM, Hon. Babatunde Abegunde who made this known in Ado Ekiti, said that the directive was borne out of the commitment of the Governor to the welfare of the people in the State.
Abegunde said “Contrary to insinuation by an online publication, the State Government was very fair and sincere in the recruitment exercise, adding that unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic and the attendant economic downturn as well as the EndSARS protest stalled the process.
“I recalled that the commission commenced the process by mid-2020 adding that the target could not be met because of the lockdown and other effects of the global pandemic and the EndSARS protests.”
He explained that TESCOM projected the recruitment exercise which consists of both written examination and interviews in phases for administrative and economic convenience.
According to him, the process of appointing the first batch of 400 teachers started in October 2019 and was concluded in November, 2020 adding that the process for recruiting the second batch of 100 teachers commenced immediately after the first set of appointees were posted to school with the invitation of shortlisted candidates for documentation.
Abegunde explained further that the material such as Teaching Service Manual, Service Record and Job Cards among others that the successful candidates purchased during the documentation exercise would be useful to them until they retire and the materials would remain their properties.
The TESCOM Chairman said that letters of appointment would have been issued immediately after documentation stressing that it was however not feasible to do so because of the current economic limitations of the State.
Abegunde stressed that Governor Fayemi would not subscribe to employing workers that the State would not be able to promptly pay their salaries adding that the process was therefore put on hold and TESCOM directed to refund their monies for the materials purchased.
He however assured that the recruitment process would continue as soon as the State finances improve to accommodate new entrants into the state workforce.