The Cross River State Ministry of Education, has refuted a recent report by SUNDAY PUNCH on July 7, 2024 that the state is among the 18 states that have not recruited teachers since 2018.

The Commissioner for Education in Cross River, Senator. Stephen Odey, in a statement, said that the State is determined to revamp and revive the education sector.

He said that according to the unverified data obtained from the National Union of Teachers (NUT), in Abuja, which stated that Cross River State is among the States that have not recruited Teachers since 2018, is wrong, untrue, incorrect and misleading.

Odey said: “Under my supervision and superintendent as Executive Chairman, CR-SUBEB during the former administration, recruitment was done in Cross River State Universal Basic Education Board (CR-SUBEB), where 500 qualified teaching staff and non teaching staff were recruited for the three (3) UBEC Model Schools in the State.

“Again in 2019, 2,500 qualified Cross Riverians were recruited into the State Universal Basic Education Board (CR-SUBEB), for Teaching / non-teaching staff positions, which was successfully carried out and qualified persons, after a rigorous and thorough recruitment exercise, were successfully engaged.

“Note also that in 2023, the former administration recruited 134 best hands for the UBEC Smart School in Obudu Local Government Area, as at today the total number of recruitment of teaching and non teaching staff for the State Basic Education stands at 3,123.”

He noted that the State Ministry of Education has applied to the State Governor, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu’s led administration, for the recruitment of 6,000 teachers to complement what was done by the previous administration, and the Governor’s approval is being awaited.

Odey called on other media to verify such information from the Ministry of Education before publishing, to avoid conflicting and unsubstantiated reports that are misleading to members of the public.