President Bola Tinubu has approved the recruitment of over 3,000 verified Parent-Teacher Association teachers into the federal civil service as part of his administration’s efforts to strengthen the educational sector.

Education minister Tunji Alausa confirmed the development in a statement on Thursday. He noted that the recruitment followed an extensive screening process by an inter-ministerial committee.

Mr Alausa stated that the government would give priority to PTA teachers during the recruitment exercise, noting that some of them have been serving in the Federal Unity Colleges and Federal Technical Colleges for more than two decades.

“This is a president who cares deeply for Nigeria and for the future of our country. The president has approved the recruitment of teachers. Priority will be given to absorbing verified PTA teachers, many of whom have served in our Federal Unity Colleges and Federal Technical Colleges for almost 25 years. This approval provides them with the opportunity to become part of the mainstream public service,” the minister said.

According to Mr Alausa, 3,252 teachers across several grades have been verified and would be absorbed into the federal workforce upon completion of requirements.

The exercise, he said, verified 3,252 teachers across the cadres of education officers, assistant education officers and technical instructors, paving the way for their regularisation upon completion of all statutory requirements.

Mr Alausa stressed that the approval was part of Mr Tinubu’s plan to upscale the welfare of teachers in the country, while thanking the president for sanctioning the recruitment.

“The recruitment forms part of the federal government’s broader efforts to improve teacher quality and reposition the colleges as centres of academic excellence.

“Investing in teachers is fundamental to building a stronger education system, as no education system can rise above the quality of its teachers,” the minister added.