Salaries of 239 teachers withheld over absenteeism

The Jigawa State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has halted the payment of salaries to 239 teachers who were found to have abandoned their duty posts across various schools in the state.

SUBEB Chairman, Professor Haruna Musa, disclosed this on Saturday during a media briefing following the conclusion of a five-day training workshop for 250 Arabic teachers. The training, which was held at Takur Primary School in Dutse, was organised by the board to enhance teaching capacity.

According to Prof. Musa, investigations revealed that the affected teachers had been absent from their posts for periods ranging from two months to as long as three years, all while continuing to draw their salaries.

“Some teachers were found to have abandoned their teaching duties for years without attending classes,” he said.

One particularly striking example involved a teacher who was also serving as a village head. Prof. Musa noted that, “The teacher had abandoned his teaching duties for three years while still collecting his salary and receiving additional payment as village head.”

He stated that the disciplinary action was part of the board’s broader initiative to raise educational standards and enforce accountability in the state’s public schools.

“The Board’s crackdown on absenteeism is part of its efforts to improve the quality of education in Jigawa State,” he emphasised.

The chairman added that the board has ordered the teacher to return the salaries earned during his prolonged absence.

“The teacher has the option to continue working while paying back the salaries collected. This serves as a warning to erring teachers, and it sends a strong message about the Board’s commitment to discipline and accountability. The Board’s actions are expected to improve teacher attendance and overall quality of education,” he noted.

Prof. Musa also appealed to members of School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) across the state to report any cases of absenteeism to SUBEB offices in all 27 local government areas, to ensure greater transparency.

He criticised what he described as a lack of dedication among some teachers, stating, “The Board is committed to ensuring that teachers perform their duties diligently,” while assuring that more educators would soon be recruited to ease the shortage of staff in public schools.

On the training programme, Musa explained that the initiative was designed to enhance teachers’ skills in areas such as computer literacy and lesson planning. The workshop drew participants from all 27 LGAs and was organised in collaboration with the College of Education, Gumel, and Babura.

He urged the participating Arabic teachers to adopt professional conduct in both language and appearance, saying they must serve as role models in the classroom.