The report released by a committee set up by the Borno State government to conduct basic literacy and numeracy competency assessment teachers has revealed that 2,389 teachers are working without formal qualifications in the state.

The figure represents 13.9 percent of the 17,229 teachers working in 27 local government areas of the state.

It added that only 5,439 teachers or 31.6 percent are competent to work in schools across the state.

3,815 others or 22 percent are incompetent and untrainable.

The report of the committee was presented to Governor Babagana Zulum by the state’s Commissioner for Education, Lawan Abba Wakilbe, at the Government House in Maiduguri.

The report read: “Out of 17,229 teachers across the 27 LGAs, only 5,439 representing 31.6% proved competent to teach, while 3, 815 teachers representing 22.1% are not competent to teach and are not trainable.

However, 7,975 teachers representing 46.3% were found not fully competent but trainable.

“At least 2, 389 teachers representing 13.9% have been teaching without any formal qualification from any institution.

In his remark at the forum, the governor described the report as “very scary.”

Zulum said the committee members had informed him that they came across a National Certificate of Education (NCE) holder who was unable to write NCE during the test but was teaching students.

He said: “We cannot move Borno forward unless we are able to sanitise our public schools system and if I am able to sanitise education, I would have achieved 50 percent of what I set out to achieve as governor.”

After spending six months in captivity following their abduction in June 2021, 30 students and a teacher of the Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State, have been freed by the bandits who kidnapped them.

Confirming the release of the victims, Special Adviser to Governor Atiku Bagudu on Media and Publicity, Yahaya Sarki, said the freed students were recieved by government officials in the evening of Saturday.

“Today, Saturday 8th January 2022, 30 students of Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, and one teacher, have arrived Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State capital following their release,” Sarki said in a statement on behalf of the governor.

“They shall undergo medical screening and support while being re-united with their families.

30 students of the school were released and brought to Birnin Kebbi to be reunited with their families. This is in addition to some who were earlier released to their parents.

We thank all security agencies and those who have helped in securing the release, while congratulating Mr. President, Muhammadu Buhari for the success, in freeing the students,” he added.

The students and some of their teachers were abducted on June 17, 2021, when bandits said to be from the camp of a notorious kingpin, Dogo Gide, operating from a neighbouring forest in Rijau local government area of Niger State, invaded the school and abducted the students and staff.

The heavily armed men who stormed the school on motorcycles, had overpowered the security operatives on ground, killing two mobile police officers and two civilians in the process.

Some of the students had been freed in batches while the bandit kingpin who has since been killed by security operatives made a video of the kidnapped students where he made some demands including the release of his arrested gang members in exchange for the release of the students.