By John Dike, Osogbo
There are indications of growing unease within the Osun State civil service following Governor Ademola Adeleke’s recent directive on the recruitment of 2,500 teachers into the state’s public school system.
The development followed the governor’s announcement last Wednesday ordering the Commissioner for Education, Mr. Dipo Eluwole; the Chairman of the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), Mr. Temitope Adeyemi; and the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mr. Ibukun Fadipe, to issue letters of appointment to successful applicants recruited into TESCOM and SUBEB.
Adeleke made the announcement while speaking at the Commendation and Solidarity Parade organised by the Stay-in-School Initiative at St. Charles Grammar School, Osogbo.
However, the directive has reportedly generated internal tensions within TESCOM and SUBEB, amid allegations that the Head of Service (HoS), Mr. Ayanleye Aina, has advised against the immediate implementation of the recruitment exercise.
Sources within the civil service claimed that the HoS raised concerns over the state’s financial capacity to sustain the employment of additional teachers, a position some government insiders reportedly view as capable of undermining the governor’s public commitment.
A senior official in the Ministry of Education, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the Head of Service’s advice was discouraging the recruitment process.
“The issue of distributing appointment letters has remained unresolved. The Head of Service keeps advising the governor against it, citing the financial situation of the state,” the source said.
The official further alleged that the HoS was fully aware of thousands of teachers earlier recruited under a previous administration whose appointments were later discontinued, questioning why the current directive should be stalled.
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“Attempting to reverse a directive announced publicly by the governor could have serious political implications. This could be dangerous for the Adeleke-led administration,” the source added.
According to the source, the situation could create public dissatisfaction if not carefully managed, especially given the expectations generated by the governor’s announcement.
It would be recalled that about 22,000 applicants applied for teaching positions in Osun State nearly three years ago, but many are yet to be absorbed due to what government officials described as financial constraints.
Despite the reported internal disagreements, residents of the state have largely welcomed Governor Adeleke’s recruitment directive, describing it as a step capable of strengthening the education sector and improving employment opportunities for qualified youths.
As of the time of filing this report, the state government had neither issued an official statement clarifying the status of the recruitment exercise, nor responded to the allegations against the Head of Service.
