Katsina Denies Recruiting 2,158 Teachers Under TESS Project

The Katsina State Government has dismissed reports suggesting that the 2,158 teachers recently employed across the state were recruited under the Transforming Education Systems at State Level (TESS) programme. Speaking on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Hon. Yusuf Sulaiman Jibia, explained that the teachers were recruited directly by the Katsina State Government through a transparent and merit-based recruitment process. According to the commissioner, the only role played by the TESS project was providing its office as the venue for distributing appointment letters to successful applicants. He stressed that the recruitment, funding, and employment process were handled entirely by the state government. "The teachers are employees of the Katsina State Government and are currently being processed into the state's civil service. TESS did not recruit them," Jibia stated. "The programme is temporary, and it would not be logical for permanent government teachers to be employed under a project that has a fixed lifespan." He further described TESS as a temporary educational support initiative, emphasizing that the newly recruited teachers should not be mistaken for TESS personnel. Jibia noted that the recruitment exercise was designed to strengthen the workforce in public primary and secondary schools by filling existing teaching vacancies. He explained that available positions were advertised based on the specific staffing needs of individual schools and subject areas, allowing applicants to apply directly where teachers were required. He added that this approach is expected to reduce teacher shortages, minimize unnecessary transfer requests, improve teacher attendance, and encourage more educators to serve in rural communities. The commissioner also revealed that two Special Model Secondary Schools currently under construction in Jikamshi and Dumurku are expected to be completed and commissioned within the next three months. In addition, he disclosed that the state government has awarded contracts for the construction of 30 new senior secondary schools and 44 junior secondary schools as part of its ongoing commitment to expanding access to quality education, particularly in underserved areas of Katsina State.