The President of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Audu Amba and 2,356 other teachers have been dismissed over alleged refusal to sit for the competency test.

They were sacked by Kaduna Sate Government for failing the last December competency test which was conducted by Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (KADSUBEB).

The spokesperson of the Board, Mrs Hauwa Mohammed, said on Sunday in a statement that said Amba was among the primary schools teachers who did not participate in the test in which over 30,000 teachers sat for.

Some 165 of the 27,662 teachers who participated in the competency test were also dismissed for performing below expected standards, according to Mohammed.

Part of the statement read, “Following the state government’s resolution for continued assessment of teachers to ensure better delivery of learning outcomes for pupils, KADSUBEB conducted another competency test for the teachers in December 2021.

“The services of teachers who scored below 40 per cent are no longer required and their appointments have been terminated from the Public Service for their poor performances.

“Teachers who scored 75 per cent and above were recognised as those who passed the test and qualified for attending courses in leadership and school management,” she said.

“The training programmes will be conducted during the end of term vacation and in their respective schools, to minimise disruptions of teaching and learning.

“They are also encouraged to complement the government’s efforts and seek personal development for their own good.

“The board is assuring teachers and the public that it remains committed to ensuring their continuous professional development and the improvement of the learning outcomes of pupils and students,” she said.

But the NUT Chairman in the state, Mr Ibrahim Dalhatu, has described the competency test and the sacking of the affected teachers as “illegal”.

“We warned that any teacher who participates in the illegal examination would not be protected by the union if victimised but some of the teachers went ahead to write the examination out of fear.

“We are not against the conduct of the competency test if due process is followed, but it should not be used as a basis for sacking teachers.

“The competency test should be used to determine teachers’ capacity gap and tailored specific training programmes to improve their capacities”, he said.

Recall that the state government, in 2018, dismissed 21,780 teachers who did not pass a competency test, and got 25,000 other replacements, who were employed through vigorous processes.

Also in December 2021, the Board also dismissed 233 teachers for allegedly possessing fake certificates,according to multiple reports.

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