President Muhammadu Buhari has thrown his weight behind the move by the governor of Kaduna state, Nasir el-Rufai, to sack 21,780 teachers, who failed the competency test conducted by the state government.
Speaking at a special retreat of the federal executive council (FEC) on the challenges facing the education sector, Buhari said it was no longer a secret that the sector was in crisis.
The president said the effect of decay in the education sector is glaring, vowing that his administration would change the situation for the better.
The plan of the state government had sparked controversy, with many calling on the governor to back down because of the economic implication on the affected civil servants.
Mr. Buhari took to Twitter to also reveal his support.
He tweeted: “I just opened a Special Retreat of the Federal Executive Council on the challenges facing Nigeria’s education sector. We’ve brought together Government officials, academic experts, civil society and development institutions for this all-important conversation.
“I touched on the situation in Kaduna, where Gov @elrufai is trying to implement important reforms. It’s a very serious situation when teachers cannot pass the exams they’re supposed to administer to their students. It underscores the urgent need for comprehensive national reform.”
