The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has urged Governor Abdullahi Sule to approve permanent appointments for over 170 casual staff of Government Comprehensive Special School Lafia.

Abel Bala, the chairman of the House Committee on Education, Science, and Technology, made the call when he led other members of the committee on an oversight visit function to the school in Lafia.

Mr Bala said absorbing the casual staff into the state civil service permanently would motivate and spur them to redouble their efforts for the institution’s good.

The chairman said that such could improve the standard of education and enhance productivity in the school.

Mr Bala, who is the Deputy Majority Leader of the House, said that the school was grossly understaffed, hence the need for their call in that direction.

“We are here to assess facilities and see things for ourselves. We came, we saw, and we discovered that only 48 staff are permanent and pensionable staff, as over 170 staff are on a casual basis.

“For the school to meet standards and the purpose for which it was established, we are calling on the governor to graciously approve the absorption of the casual staff.

“We know that Sule is a listening governor, and he has a passion for the education sector and also for the development of the state,” he added.

The chairman of the committee assured us of their readiness to synergise with the state government to improve the state’s standard of education. He commended the Head of the School, Andrew Yakubu, for his good work in the school.

Mr Yakubu said, “We are really understaffed; the majority of our staff are casual staff; the ratio of students per teacher should not be more than four. But one teacher is taking more than 20 to 30 students, so the optimal goal may not be achieved.” 

(NAN)