Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has charged 4,073 newly recruited teachers to take their new roles seriously, noting that they are key to turning the government’s investment in school buildings into better learning for children.
Otti gave this charge on Tuesday at the Federal Government Girls’ College (FGGC), Umuahia, during the flag-off of a five-day orientation and training exercise for the new teachers.
Governor Alex Otti, represented by the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Elder Goodluck Ubochi, described the new teachers as the greatest beneficiaries of the exercise. The Governor expressed confidence that the training would bring major improvements to the state’s education system. He explained that the administration’s vision of a “New Abia” is built on transparency, merit, and doing what is right, noting that these principles guided a fair recruitment process where the 4,073 candidates were chosen strictly on merit, without any personal connections or political interference.
Urging the teachers to value their new roles, especially as the government continues to renovate public schools, the Governor asked: “No matter how fantastic a school facility is, will it transmit knowledge to the children without a teacher?”
Describing the educators as the main drivers of the government’s education reforms, the Governor warned them not to take their jobs for granted. He stated that the era of “all-comers” is over, and any teacher who fails to meet expectations risks being replaced by another qualified candidate from the reserve list.
Earlier in her address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Mrs. Ekeoma Chigozie Akidi, described the workshop as a major step in strengthening the state’s public education system.
Mrs Akidi noted that renovating schools and providing digital learning tools will not yield the desired results without skilled teachers. She tasked the new recruits with turning government investments into real learning outcomes for students. She urged them to show dedication, punctuality, and a willingness to keep improving. She added that the five-day programme is designed to improve their practical classroom skills, covering areas like lesson planning, classroom management, digital literacy, curriculum delivery, professional ethics, and child protection.
In her goodwill message, the Chairman of the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB), Lady Lydia Onuoha, congratulated the new teachers and praised Governor Otti for his strong support for the education sector.
Drawing from her 17 years of experience as a classroom teacher before rising through the ranks, Onuoha urged the recruits to see teaching as a noble profession and a divine call. She advised them to pay close attention during the training and follow the facilitators’ instructions. She also reminded them that professionalism starts with how they look, saying: “As you are coming into the classrooms, dress like a teacher.”
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Abia State Council, Comrade Friday Madu, welcomed the new teachers on behalf of the union. He noted that the state’s teaching workforce is growing steadily, with over 5,000 teachers recruited last year and more than 4,000 added in this current exercise. He assured the new colleagues of strong support and guidance from senior educators and professional bodies.
The five-day orientation, holding simultaneously at FGGC Umuahia and Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, will conclude on Saturday, September 12, 2026. The exercise is designed to fully equip the new teachers with the practical skills they need for effective teaching as they begin their duties in Abia’s public schools.
