Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara has approved the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) request to hire 1,800 teachers, 100 non-teaching staff and 200 security guards.

TESCOM chairman Bello Abubakar disclosed in a statement on Friday in Ilorin that this was aimed at promoting a safer school environment.

Mr Abubakar said the employment application links would soon be released.

He added that those to be hired would be for the senior secondary schools across the state, with emphasis on the rural areas where there was a lack of teachers.

“All applications will be online, and applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in education or a university degree in relevant subjects, with a teaching certificate.

“These are B.Ed, B.Sc. (Ed), B.A (Ed), B.Sc plus PGDE or NCE.

“Applicants without the listed qualifications will not be invited for the test,” the TESCOM chairman stated.

He also explained that the recruitment exercise was essentially to bridge the human resource gap in the schools in the hinterland, and applications would therefore be screened along that line.

“The employment of teachers of STEM subjects will also be prioritised in the exercise,” Mr Abubakar said.

He added that the required subject areas in the arts and commercial categories would also be indicated on the application portal.

“Persons whose subject areas are not indicated will therefore need not apply,” the TESCOM chairman said.

He warned that shortlisted applicants, who should not be over 35 years of age by January ending, would undergo drug tests.

“This will be in line with the focus of the government to fight drug abuse and protect school children from the menace.

”Applicants who exhibit behaviour unexpected of a teacher and role model will be disqualified at any stage of the exercise,” Mr Abubakar said.

(NAN)