Delta State Deputy Governor Calls for Local Teacher Recruitment to Counter Rural-Urban Migration

In a strategic move aimed at stemming the tide of teachers leaving rural areas for urban centers, Monday Onyeme, the Deputy Governor of Delta State, has urged Local Government council Chairmen to initiate teacher recruitment drives specifically targeting communities in need of educational services.

Onyeme emphasized this imperative during a meeting with members of the Ossissa Traditional Council of Chiefs, who visited him at the Government House in Asaba to convey their congratulations.

Citing concerns over the adverse impact of rural-urban migration on primary schools within the state, the Deputy Governor voiced his reservations about the disproportionate distribution of teachers between urban and rural settings. He lamented that while primary schools in urban locales were grappling with an excess of staff, those in rural areas were facing severe teacher shortages due to the migration trend.

“In this administration, we will prioritize the employment of teachers in our primary schools, but it is crucial that we ensure these educators are recruited from the communities they hail from and that they commit to residing in the locales they are assigned to,” Onyeme declared.

He also directed a piece of advice towards aspiring teachers vying for positions in the ongoing recruitment exercise. Onyeme encouraged them to be prepared to embrace rural placements and serve the communities that need their expertise the most. This counsel stems from the need to counterbalance the prevalent pattern where many teachers vie for urban positions while rural schools languish without adequate educators.

“Our urban schools are overstaffed, leading to an excess of underutilized teaching staff. Conversely, our village schools are grappling with a dire scarcity of teachers,” Onyeme remarked.

He assured the people of Delta State that the administration under Sheriff Oborevwori’s leadership is unwavering in its commitment to advancing the state’s development.