President Bola Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 3,252 Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) teachers into the Federal Civil Service, granting permanent employment to educators who have served in Federal Unity Colleges and Federal Technical Colleges for up to 25 years without job security. The announcement was made by Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa on Thursday, August 6, through a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah.
Details of the Approval
The approval covers teachers across three cadres: Education Officers, Assistant Education Officers, and Technical Instructors. The affected teachers have been verified by an inter-ministerial screening committee, which confirmed their identities and service records. According to Alausa, their path to full employment will be completed once all required statutory processes are concluded.
This move is part of the Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at strengthening the teaching workforce in federal schools. Many of these teachers have been working in classrooms for decades without the security of permanent employment, often funded by parents through PTA contributions.
Impact on Federal Schools
Federal Unity Colleges have historically relied on PTA-funded teachers to fill staffing gaps that the government was slow to address through direct recruitment. Parents bore the financial burden of paying these teachers, while the teachers themselves had no guarantee of permanent work despite carrying the same classroom load as regularly employed civil servants.
Alausa said bringing these teachers into the civil service will improve the teacher-to-student ratio in federal schools, preserve years of institutional knowledge, and raise the quality of learning in the colleges. He emphasized that "investing in teachers is fundamental to building a stronger education system, as no education system can rise above the quality of its teachers."
Verification Process
An inter-ministerial committee carried out a comprehensive screening of eligible PTA teachers before the approval was granted. The exercise confirmed the identities and service records of the 3,252 teachers, clearing them for regularisation under public service rules. Alausa described the approval as one of the most significant moves to strengthen the teaching workforce under the Tinubu administration.
"Priority will be given to absorbing verified PTA teachers, many of whom have served in our Federal Unity Colleges and Federal Technical Colleges for almost 25 years. This approval provides them with the opportunity to become part of the mainstream public service," Alausa said.
Next Steps
The minister assured verified PTA teachers that the regularisation process will be handled with transparency and fairness. He added that the education ministry will keep working with relevant government agencies to finalise the remaining steps needed before formal appointment letters are issued. Successive governments had received appeals from the affected teachers and education stakeholders to resolve their employment status, with little action until now.
In a related development, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) launched its 2026 recruitment exercise on Monday, July 20, opening an online portal for Nigerians interested in entry-level roles across Grade Levels 07, 08, 09, 10, and 12. The application window closes on Monday, July 27. The commission said the exercise is designed to strengthen its capacity in electoral administration, voter registration, data management, and election logistics ahead of future polls.
