The Zamfara State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has transferred and formally handed over the service files of 2,117 non-teaching staff to the Office of the Head of Service for redeployment across various ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) in the state.
Reforms Under State of Emergency
The ministry stated that this exercise is part of the far-reaching reforms approved by Governor Dauda Lawal under the State of Emergency declared in the education sector. The goal is to reposition the system for improved service delivery.
In a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Hajiya Maryam Yahaya Shantali, the government confirmed that all personal and service records of the affected workers had been transferred to facilitate the redeployment process.
“The transfer of staff files containing the personal and service records of the affected workers has been completed,” the statement said.
Redeployment Coordination
According to Shantali, the Office of the Head of Service will now coordinate and supervise the redeployment process to ensure transparency, proper placement, and efficient utilisation of manpower across the state civil service.
Addressing concerns over possible job losses, the Permanent Secretary assured affected workers that their employment status and entitlements would remain intact throughout the exercise.
“I assure all affected staff that they will retain their employment status and entitlements throughout the redeployment process,” she said.
The assurance is expected to ease concerns among non-teaching personnel in schools and ministry offices who feared that the reform could result in retrenchment.
Broader Education Reform Agenda
The redeployment exercise forms part of the broader education reform agenda introduced by Governor Lawal to address challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, teacher shortages, and an over-concentration of non-teaching staff within schools.
Under the reform programme, the government is prioritising the recruitment and deployment of classroom teachers, upgrading educational facilities, and restructuring the workforce to align with operational needs.
The ministry noted that many non-teaching staff were previously deployed to schools where their responsibilities either overlapped with existing roles or were underutilised.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to the reforms, Shantali said: “The government remains committed to strengthening institutional efficiency, improving workforce management, and enhancing service delivery across the education sector in the state.”
Next Phase: Skills Audit and Placement
With the transfer of the files completed, the next phase of the exercise will involve a skills audit, placement, and posting of the affected staff to MDAs where their services are most needed.
Sources within the civil service indicated that priority would be given to ministries and agencies currently experiencing manpower shortages.
Labour unions and affected workers are also expected to engage with the Office of the Head of Service to ensure the redeployment process is conducted fairly and in accordance with civil service regulations.
Education stakeholders in the state have welcomed the initiative, expressing optimism that a leaner and better-managed non-teaching workforce will free up resources for classroom instruction, teaching materials, and teacher welfare.
