President Bola Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 3,252 verified Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) teachers into the Federal Civil Service, ending years of uncertainty for thousands of educators and boosting staffing in Federal Unity Colleges.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the approval in a statement issued on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah.
He said priority would be given to verified PTA teachers, many of whom have served in Federal Unity Colleges and Federal Technical Colleges for nearly 25 years, enabling them to transition into permanent positions in the federal public service.
Alausa described the approval as one of the Tinubu administration’s most significant interventions in the education sector, saying it would strengthen the teaching workforce while recognising the dedication of PTA teachers who have sustained learning in federal schools for decades.
“This is a president who cares deeply for Nigeria and for the future of our country,” the minister said.
“The President has approved the recruitment of teachers. 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.”
According to the minister, the recruitment followed a comprehensive verification exercise conducted by an inter-ministerial committee, which screened eligible PTA teachers across Federal Unity Colleges nationwide.
The exercise verified 3,252 teachers in the cadres of Education Officers, Assistant Education Officers and Technical Instructors, clearing the way for their regularisation upon completion of statutory requirements.
Alausa described the development as a major milestone under the Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that it would improve teacher-student ratios in Federal Unity Colleges while rewarding educators who remained committed despite years of job insecurity.
He said integrating experienced PTA teachers into the federal workforce would preserve institutional knowledge, strengthen classroom instruction and improve learning outcomes across the colleges.
“The recruitment forms part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to improve teacher quality and reposition the colleges as centres of academic excellence,” he said.
The minister added that the Ministry of Education would continue to work with relevant government agencies to complete the remaining statutory processes required for the issuance of final appointment letters in line with public service regulations.
He thanked President Tinubu for approving the recruitment, describing the decision as a demonstration of the administration’s commitment to placing education at the heart of national development.
“Investing in teachers is fundamental to building a stronger education system, as no education system can rise above the quality of its teachers,” Alausa said.
He assured all verified PTA teachers that the regularisation process would be carried out with transparency, fairness and due diligence.
For years, Federal Unity Colleges have relied on PTA-funded teachers to address chronic staffing shortages resulting from inadequate recruitment into the federal teaching service. Many of the affected teachers have served between 10 and 25 years without permanent appointments, despite performing the same duties as their government-employed counterparts.
Education stakeholders and the affected teachers had repeatedly appealed to successive administrations to regularise their appointments, arguing that prolonged reliance on PTA-funded staff imposed financial burdens on parents while leaving thousands of qualified teachers without job security.