Bayelsa Government has offered employment to 12 teachers who graduated in “special needs” education from Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt.
Gov. Douye Diri said this when he received the graduates at the Government House on Tuesday in Yenagoa.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Commissioner for Education, Mr Gentle Emelah, and the Education Development Trust Fund (EDTF) Executive Secretary, Mrs Alice Atuwo led the delegation.
Diri told the delegation that his administration would continue to train teachers for special needs children in the education sector.
“I am satisfied with our investment in the training of the special needs teachers, who will in turn impart the knowledge gained on children with impairment in the state,” he said.
The governor said that there would be immediate employment for the teachers, since they were the first set to be trained in the sector.
He expressed the hope that they would contribute their quota to the development of the education in the state.
He commended the EDTF Executive Secretary and board members for the laudable scheme, which he inherited from the immediate past administration.
He said: “The training of the teachers adds to the policies of this government not to leave anyone behind in the education sector of our state.
“I am happy that you have all graduated and want to contribute to the growth and development of education in Bayelsa State.
“Having certified the requirements to be teachers in our special education sector, I hereby direct the Ministry of Education to employ all 12 of you.
“Also, the school for the special needs students will continue to enjoy the free tuition, free feeding and free uniforms policy that is already in place in all of our science and technical colleges across the state as well as our model schools.
“Already, four of the technical colleges at Ekeremor, Sagbama, Yenagoa and Kolokuma-Opokuma have been completed and commenced academic activities.
” That of Ogbia and Nembe are near completion. Next year, Brass and Southern Ijaw local governments will get theirs,” he said.
Atuwo, in her remarks, said 15 teachers of Bayelsa State origin were enrolled by the board for the training, but only 12 have graduated.
She stated that following the training, which lasted five years, the state now had its own trained teachers in its special needs schools. (NAN)
