Nigeria-

The Rivers State government has threatened to sack some newly employed teachers over absenteeism from their duty posts.

The Chairman of the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board (RSUBEB), Mr. Ali Oruitemeka, disclosed this in Port Harcourt on Monday, while addressing head teachers of primary and secondary schools in the state.

According to him, teachers who were yet to disengage from their former employment would also be sanctioned in line with Govenor Chibuike Amaechi’s commitment to the development of the state education sector.

Oruitemeka said the behaviour of some of the newly employed teachers, if not checked, was capable of derailing the state government’s drive to improve education in the state.

He is quoted saying that “The Board has observed that some newly employed teachers have allegedly refused to disengage their services with their former employment.

“Some newly employed teachers who were yet to officially quit their former jobs have been absconding from classrooms.

“The state government will no longer tolerate these erring teachers, and will soon sanction them having failed to take their jobs seriously, months after their employment,”.

Oruitemeka said the recruitment of the teachers was aimed at serving a dual purpose of providing adequate teachers to teach pupils, as well as reducing unemployment rate in the state.

He directed the head teachers of both primary and secondary schools in the state to submit a nominal roll of academic staff in their schools to the board.