The Kano State House of Assembly has ordered a comprehensive review of the recent teachers’ recruitment exercise conducted by the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) over alleged irregularities. 

The legislation followed a motion of urgent public importance by Murtala Musa (APC – Dambatta) during a plenary on Tuesday.

Mr Musa said the recruitment exercise was fraught with inconsistencies, especially regarding the assignment of applicants to interview centres far from their areas of residence.

 He said the board ignored prior recommendations to guide the process.

Mr Musa, who is also the vice chairman of the relevant committee, said that numerous complaints from across the state prompted the legislators to summon the board’s chairman to explain the process.

The lawmaker said that key local education stakeholders were sidelined despite their crucial roles.

Highlighting economic challenges, Mr Musa stressed that teachers should be posted within their local government areas to avoid absenteeism due to transportation costs.

“If a teacher is recruited from Doguwa and posted to Warawa, the cost of commuting may lead to absenteeism,” he said.

The Deputy Speaker, Muhammad Bello (APC- Rimingado), who seconded the motion, said the assembly supports the screening exercise and urged transparency and merit-based recruitment. 

While urging the board to set clear cut-off marks and avoid political interference, Bello recommended local posting of teachers to improve efficiency and accountability.

The assembly presided over by Speaker Jibril Falgore constituted an ad hoc committee to summon the chairman of the board to defend the recruitment process.