Education
Report says 13.9% of teachers in Borno without any formal qualification
Report says 13.9% of teachers in Borno without any formal qualification
By: Michael Mike
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, on Thursday, described as “very scary” some findings submitted to him by a Committee he had constituted and tasked with conducting basic literacy and numeracy competency assessment of 17,229 Local Education Authority teachers across 27 Local Government Areas of the State.
The State’s Commissioner for Education, Engr Lawan Abba Wakilbe, presented the committee’s report to Governor Zulum at the Government House in Maiduguri.
The Committee had engaged academics from different education stakeholders in the State before and during assessment tests conducted in January, 2022, across the 27 Local Government Areas of the State.
The report revealed that out of 17,229 teachers across the 27 councils 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.
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The report however revealed that 7,975 teachers representing 46.3% were found not fully competent but trainable.
The report also revealed that 2,389 teachers representing 13.9% have been teaching without any formal qualification from any institution.
A breakdown of the report’s findings across the 27 Local Government Areas showed, from the worst indices, that out of 224 teachers in Abadam Local Government Area in northern Borno, only 14 are competent to teach, as 74 are untrainable while 136 can be trained.
The report further said out of Kala-Balge’s 272 teachers, only 21 are competent to teach with 118 untrainable and 133 trainable.
The report also showed indices for other Local Government Areas from which Maiduguri Metropolitan Council had the highest number of 396 untrainable teachers, followed by Askira-Uba with 281 untrainable teachers, Chibok-268 untrainable teachers, Bama-246 untrainable teachers and Biu also with 219 teachers who cannot teach.
The numbers were based on the overall number of teachers as some with higher numbers of untrainable teachers have higher numbers of teachers employed.
Other Local Government Areas showed various numbers of untrainable teachers, Jere having the fewest-16 untrainable teachers out of 1,159 teachers from which 936 proved competent while 204 are not fully competent but they are trainable.
The report also said that of all the 17,229 teachers, 1,627 representing 9.4% are degree holders; 8,153 representing 47.3% are NCE holders; 713 representing 4.1% are teachers grade II certificates’ holders while 2,281 representing 13.2% are SSCE/GCE holders with the remaining 2,389 representing 13.9% not having any formal certificate.
Speaking after receiving the report, Professor Zulum described the findings as “very scary”. He said the Committee members had informed him that they came across an NCE holder who could not write NCE during the test but yet was teaching students.
Zulum said: “We cannot move Borno forward unless we are able to sanitize our public schools system and If I am able to sanitize education, I would have achieved 50% of what I set out to achieve as Governor.”
He noted that he decided to set up the Assessment Committee after a series of spontaneous assessments of teachers during his regular unscheduled trips to Local Government Areas.
He however said despite the scary report, he will not sack the 3,815 untrainable teachers but he will, depending on the recommendations made by the Committee, consider approving the transfer of the teachers to areas where they can perform other tasks such as tree planting at the Ministry of Environment.
Report says 13.9% of teachers in Borno without any formal qualification
UNIMAID Student Drowns in Gwange River, Another Rescued
By: Zagazola Makama
A tragic drowning incident has claimed the life of a University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) student, while another was rescued after they went swimming at the Gwange River Bank in Maiduguri.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred on March 14, 2025, around 7:00 p.m., when two UNIMAID students, identified as Abafras Abdiel from the Department of Forestry and Silas Sule from the Department of Geology, went to the Gwange River Bank behind ECWA Church for a swim.
While diving, both students drowned in the river, prompting an emergency response. A combined rescue team, including the police, divers, and fire service personnel, was immediately mobilized to the scene.
The rescue team managed to retrieve both victims and rushed them to the State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri. While Abafras Abdiel was admitted for treatment, Silas Sule was unfortunately certified dead by doctors. His body has since been deposited at the hospital for autopsy and further investigations.
The authorities have urged students and residents to exercise caution when engaging in activities near water bodies, especially during the dry season, when river currents can be unpredictable.
UNIMAID Student Drowns in Gwange River, Another Rescued
Federal University Gusau: A 300-level student died in a bandit’s den in Zamfara
By: Our Reporter
This is truly heartbreaking. Zarah Abubakar Shehu, a 21-year-old 300-level student at Federal University Gusau, was abducted along with her two siblings by bandits in the early hours of Sunday, November 3, 2024, from their home in the Damba area of Gusau, Zamfara State.
The kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of ₦35 million for their release. After much struggle, the family managed to gather ₦10 million, which the kidnappers agreed to accept. However, even after receiving the money, they still refused to release Zarah. Instead, they demanded four motorcycles (Boza) and four cartons of engine oil.
Zarah and her siblings spent four months in captivity. When all the items were finally gathered, the kidnappers’ leader was informed. He then called his men to check on the captives. To everyone’s horror, his men responded that only two children remained; one of them, Zarah, had passed away and had already been buried two days earlier.
Zarah was the only daughter of her mother, making her loss even more devastating. Her passing is not just a tragedy for her family but a heartbreaking reflection of the ongoing insecurity in Zamfara State and the pain that countless families endure.
Federal University Gusau: A 300-level student died in a bandit’s den in Zamfara
Gunmen Kidnap Four Students in Katsina State
By: Zagazola Makama
Suspected armed bandits have abducted four students from Paris Quarters, behind the Federal University, Dutsinma, in Katsina State, security sources told Zagazola Makama on Sunday.
The attack occurred at about 2:20 a.m. on Sunday, when the assailants, reportedly in large numbers, quietly invaded the area and whisked away four individuals.
The victims have been identified as Wali Kayode (25), Fahad Muhammad (20), Emmanuel (surname unknown), and another yet-to-be-identified person.
Security operatives were mobilized to the scene immediately after receiving a distress call but the bandits had fled.
Security sources said that Efforts are ongoing to track down the kidnappers and rescue the victims safely.
Gunmen Kidnap Four Students in Katsina State
Man Killed in Accidental Shooting During Joint Security Operation in Adamawa
Armed Bandits Kill One in Attack on Commercial Vehicle in Sokoto
Bandits Attack Rijiya Village in Zamfara, Kill Eight, Set School Ablaze
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