Lagos TESCOM Prioritizes STEM Teachers in job recruitment

By AmforGod J. Olisa

The Lagos State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) has reaffirmed its commitment to prioritizing the recruitment of teachers specializing in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). This was disclosed by Mr. Kayode Sutton, Deputy Director of Public Affairs at TESCOM, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday.

Sutton highlighted the proactive efforts of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration in enhancing the education sector through comprehensive teacher training programs. These initiatives aim to improve teaching quality and student learning outcomes.

“We have a specific focus on hiring STEM teachers—those specializing in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Technical subjects, English, and Mathematics. These areas are critically understaffed in many of our schools,” Sutton stated. “Our recruitment priority is to address these gaps because teachers for these subjects are scarce and essential for quality education.”

He clarified that while the emphasis is on STEM teachers, the commission also considers applicants for other subjects, noting that there is a sufficient supply of non-STEM teachers across the schools. However, the urgent need for STEM educators drives their preferential hiring process.

Sutton explained that TESCOM collaborates with the six education districts across Lagos State to fill vacancies resulting from retirements and other departures. He acknowledged the challenge of high student-to-teacher ratios in some schools, which the state government is actively addressing.

“TESCOM has been recruiting to improve the teacher-to-student ratio, aiming for at least 30 students per teacher. The state government is committed to achieving this target,” he said. Sutton also mentioned the ‘Exit Replacement Plan,’ a platform approved by the governor to ensure continuous replacement of vacant teaching positions in post-primary schools.

“We are dedicated to reducing the teacher-student ratio because we recognize the burden of large class sizes on educators. The government has swiftly moved to address this by employing thousands of teachers in recent years,” Sutton added.

He detailed TESCOM’s recruitment process, which includes maintaining a database of education-based applicants. Candidates are randomly selected for interviews, mini-tests, and brief teaching demonstrations to ensure the best-qualified teachers are hired.

This focused approach underscores Lagos State’s commitment to enhancing the quality of education by addressing critical staffing needs in its schools.