It has been confirmed to the newsmen that over 400 holders of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree currently teach in public secondary schools in Oyo State.
In an interview with The Nation, the Chairman of the state’s Post-Primary School Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), Pastor Akinade Alamu, said the state followed standard procedure in the recent recruitment of 5,000 teachers into its secondary schools.
They include 150 physically challenged persons.
He explained that 140,000 candidates applied for the job but that only 6,500 scored 50 per cent and above in the computer-based test (CBT) conducted to screen them.
Of the number, 5,000 of the applicants were eventually employed after passing the oral interview and credential scrutiny.
Giving further details, the commission’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Grace Oderinde, explained that 167 of the newly recruited teachers hold PhD in various fields.
The permanent secretary said 550 of the successful candidates were non-indigenes of Oyo State because Governor Seyi Makinde insisted that only the best must be recruited into the schools, irrespective of their states of origin.
“The governor had no candidate. He directed that anyone to be recruited must pass the test and make the cut-off point. It didn’t matter if the candidate was the governor’s brother or sister.
“With that, TESCOM has set the standard, and I am sure that other agencies will emulate us. This government values merit because of its commitment to bringing the desired change into the system,” she said.
According to her, 400 applicants hold First-Class degrees in various disciplines.
Those who did not study Education were given two years to complete a post-graduate diploma in the discipline.
Mrs. Oderinde said the new teachers were posted according to the needs of the various zones across the state.