The Kwara State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) has announced the shortlisting of 1,800 applicants for teaching appointments across senior secondary schools in the state, marking a significant milestone in its ongoing education sector reforms.
This development was disclosed in an official statement issued by the Commission�s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onile, and made available to journalists in Ilorin, the state capital. According to the statement, the shortlisted applicants successfully emerged after undergoing a rigorous three-month recruitment process which included a computer-based test (CBT) and multiple stages of interviews designed to assess competence, subject mastery, and teaching readiness.
Out of the 1,800 candidates selected, Onile explained that 790 applicants�approximately 44 percent�were shortlisted to teach STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects. Another 581 candidates were selected for core academic subjects, 370 were chosen for specialized disciplines, and 59 were picked to teach technical and vocational subjects.
�These candidates were carefully chosen based on their performance in the series of evaluations, and they will be posted to senior secondary schools across all 16 local government areas of the state, in accordance with the needs assessment conducted by the Commission,� the statement noted.
Onile further advised all applicants who participated in the recruitment interviews to check their status via the designated online portal. He also revealed that the successful candidates are expected to undergo a mandatory drug screening exercise, which is aimed at ensuring that individuals entrusted with the responsibility of educating young learners are mentally and physically fit for the task.
The drug screening will be conducted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and will be supervised by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Drug Abuse Prevention and Control, Hon. Mukail Aileru. The exercise is scheduled to take place over four days, beginning on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, and ending on Saturday, April 12, 2025.
The detailed schedule for the drug testing exercise is as follows:
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Wednesday, April 9: Candidates from Baruten, Edu, Kaiama, and Patigi Local Government Areas.
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Thursday, April 10: Applicants from Ekiti, Ifelodun, Irepodun, and Isin LGAs.
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Friday, April 11: Candidates from Offa, Oke Ero, Oyun, and Moro LGAs.
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Saturday, April 12: Applicants from Asa, Ilorin East, Ilorin South, and Ilorin West LGAs.
In a bid to maintain the integrity of the process, Onile emphasized that drug test results will be forwarded directly to the Teaching Service Commission by the NDLEA. �Under no circumstances will the candidates be allowed access to their results to prevent any attempts at manipulation or falsification,� he stated.
Beyond the drug screening, shortlisted applicants are also required to present a valid medical fitness certificate from any state-owned government hospital. This is to further certify their health status as part of the final recruitment steps.
In addition, successful candidates must come prepared for a documentation and verification exercise, during which they are to present original copies of their academic and professional credentials. Photocopies of these documents will be retained by the Commission for official records.
Furthermore, all shortlisted applicants are expected to submit handwritten letters of acceptance for the job offer, signaling their commitment to serve. Onile noted that during the documentation process, the full terms and conditions of service would be communicated to each candidate.
As part of a broader policy initiative to address the acute shortage of teachers in rural and underserved communities, successful candidates will also be required to sign a bond committing them not to seek a transfer out of their assigned locations for a minimum period of six years.
This move, the Commission says, is aimed at promoting educational stability and ensuring equitable distribution of qualified teachers across the state�s rural and urban schools.
With this recruitment, the Kwara State Government continues to demonstrate its dedication to improving the quality of public education, especially in critical subject areas that are vital to national development.
