No fewer than 6, 700 applicants are jostling to take up 380 teaching jobs at various Secondary Schools in Enugu State.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria it was reported that in some of the designated centres for the examination, the applicants turned out in large numbers.
The Chairman, Enugu State Post Primary School Management Board Fr. Hilary Mgbodile, stated that the board received more than 12,000 applications.
He said that out of the number, 6,700 people were shortlisted for the 380 positions needed to replace those who had retired.
Mgbodile disclosed that five centres namely Union Boys Secondary School, Queen School, Enugu, Holy Rosary College (HRC), College of Immaculate Conception (CIC) and Trans Ekulu Girls Secondary School, Enugu were selected as the venues for the examinations.
He said that the shortlisted applicants were being tested in English, Information Communication Technology (ICT), Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.
According to him, over 2,000 applied to teach English while in ICT, the board needs only 80 but 1,700 applied for the subject.
“So we are picking the best of the best which is the only consideration and parameter for the selection of the teachers,” he said.
He added that after the test and the needed competent teachers were not found, the board would call for another application, stressing that he was optimistic that with the number of applicants, the board would get the qualified ones.
“We cannot lower the standard because we cannot get what we want.
“The recruitment is being done by PPSMB but in order to reduce pressure and to ensure meritocracy and absolute objectivity, we decided to seek the assistance of an independent recruiting company,” Mgbodile said.
On why they dropped a large number of applicants, the clergyman noted that after sorting out the applications, it noted that some were non-indigenes and some were over-aged as they pegged the age requirement at 45 years.
“While some did not have the requisite qualifications for the subject they intend to teach, those that studied Social Studies may apply to teach English which is not incompatible,” he said.
