President Bola Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 3,252 verified Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) teachers into the Federal Civil Service, in a move aimed at addressing the long-standing shortage of teachers in Federal Unity Colleges and improving the quality of education across the country.
The announcement was made on Thursday by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, through a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah.
According to the minister, the recruitment will prioritise verified PTA teachers, many of whom have spent between 10 and 25 years teaching in Federal Unity Colleges and Federal Technical Colleges without permanent appointments.
Alausa described the approval as one of the Tinubu administration’s most significant interventions in the education sector, noting that it recognises the dedication of thousands of PTA teachers who have sustained learning in federal schools despite years of uncertainty.
He explained that the decision followed a comprehensive verification exercise conducted by an inter-ministerial committee, which confirmed the eligibility of 3,252 teachers across the ranks of Education Officers, Assistant Education Officers, and Technical Instructors.
The minister said the successful candidates would be regularised into the Federal Civil Service after completing all statutory recruitment requirements.
He noted that the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda and is expected to improve the teacher-to-student ratio in Federal Unity Colleges while preserving the experience and institutional knowledge of long-serving educators.
According to Alausa, integrating the teachers into the federal workforce will strengthen classroom instruction, enhance learning outcomes, and reposition Federal Unity Colleges as centres of academic excellence.
He added that the Ministry of Education would continue working with relevant government agencies to complete the remaining administrative processes required for the issuance of final appointment letters in line with public service regulations.
The minister thanked President Tinubu for approving the recruitment, describing the decision as a demonstration of the administration’s commitment to placing education at the heart of national development.
He stressed that investing in teachers remains essential to building a strong education system, noting that the quality of any education system depends largely on the quality of its teachers.
Alausa also assured all verified PTA teachers that the regularisation process would be conducted transparently, fairly, and in accordance with due process.
For years, Federal Unity Colleges have depended on PTA-funded teachers to bridge staffing shortages caused by inadequate recruitment into the federal teaching service. Education stakeholders have repeatedly called on successive governments to absorb the teachers into the civil service, arguing that the arrangement created job insecurity and placed an additional financial burden on parents.
