Ilorin: The Kwara State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) has shortlisted 1,800 applicants for teaching appointments across the state. This development was announced in a statement issued by the Commission’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onile, and made available to newsmen in Ilorin.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Onile revealed that the shortlisted candidates emerged from a rigorous screening exercise, which included a computer-based test and interviews conducted over three months. The breakdown of the selected applicants includes 790 (44%) for STEM subjects, 581 for core subjects, 370 for specialized subjects, and 59 for technical subjects. These candidates will be assigned to senior secondary schools across the 16 local government areas in the state, in alignment with the commission’s needs assessment.
Onile advised the applicants who participated in the interviews to check their status on the TESCOM portal. He added that those shortlisted would undergo a mandatory drug test to confirm their suitability for teaching children. The drug test, coordinated by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Drugs Abuse, Prevention and Control, Hon. Mukail Aileru, will be conducted by the NDLEA. The testing is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, and conclude on Saturday, April 12, 2025. Specific days have been allocated for candidates from different local government areas to undergo the test.
The NDLEA will send the drug test certificates directly to the commission to prevent any alterations by candidates. Furthermore, successful applicants will be required to sign a bond committing not to seek transfers for six years as part of a policy aimed at addressing the shortage of teachers in rural areas.
Shortlisted candidates are also instructed to bring medical certificates from any state government hospital and the original copies of their credentials for documentation, during which they will leave photocopies for record purposes. Additionally, they will need to submit handwritten letters of acceptance of the job offer, with other conditions of service to be clearly outlined during the documentation process.