Council Fumes, Probes States for Sacking 9,392 Teachers

The National Council on Education (NCE) has raised serious concerns over the sacking of 9,392 teachers by various state governments, saying the large‑scale dismissals threaten the stability of the education sector and could undermine efforts to improve learning outcomes nationwide. The council has now launched investigations into the circumstances surrounding the mass terminations.

According to an analysis covering teacher layoffs between January 2020 and June 2022, a total of 9,392 educators were dismissed by some state governments for various reasons, including failure to pass verification or competency evaluations, alleged irregular employment practices, or failure to meet appointment requirements.

The council’s reaction reflects deep worry over the impact of large‑scale teacher sackings on the quality of education and the ability of states to meet national standards for basic education. Stakeholders noted that dismissing experienced teachers without effective replacement strategies could exacerbate teacher shortages and worsen classroom learning conditions.

Council members have also expressed shock at the scale of the dismissals, warning that such actions should not be carried out “without proper consultation, national standards oversight, or strategic plans to mitigate gaps created in schools.” They emphasised that due process, regulatory compliance and teacher welfare must be upheld in any employment review or termination exercise.

Investigations by the council will focus on whether affected teachers were given fair opportunities for re‑evaluation, clear communication of criteria, and alignment with national guidelines on teacher recruitment and retention. Preliminary reports indicate that some of the sackings were linked to competency tests initiated by state teaching service commissions, which unions have sometimes criticised as arbitrary or poorly administered.

Unions like the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) have historically rejected similar mass terminations, threatening industrial actions when thousands of teachers were dismissed in the past over competency test disputes. Such responses underscore labour tensions between educators and state authorities on issues of employment fairness.

FAQs: Teacher Sackings and the Council’s Probe

How many teachers were reportedly sacked by states?

An estimated 9,392 teachers were dismissed by various state governments between January 2020 and June 2022 as part of employment reviews.

Why is the National Council on Education investigating?

The council is probing the sackings to determine whether due process was followed and whether actions complied with national education standards, warning that such large‑scale dismissals could negatively affect teaching quality and school operations.

What reasons did states give for sacking teachers?

Some terminations followed competency tests and qualification verifications by state teaching service commissions, which resulted in failures or disputes over hiring processes.

How have teachers’ unions reacted?

In past cases, unions like the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) have rejected mass sackings, threatened strikes, and criticised competency testing methods as unfair or targeted.

What are the possible implications of the probe?

If the council finds that teacher dismissals violated national guidelines or teacher welfare standards, states may be required to review termination decisions, implement stronger employment frameworks, or reinstate some affected teachers, with a view to strengthening education delivery.

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Summary

The probe into the sacking of more than 9,000 teachers spotlights persistent challenges in Nigeria’s basic education sector — including teacher verification, employment quality standards, and labour relations. As the National Council on Education examines these dismissals, stakeholders are urging fairness, transparency, and systemic planning to ensure that education quality is not compromised in the process.