Competency test: Teachers sue Edo govt

Teachers in Edo State, under the aegis of Secondary School Tutors, have dragged the state government before the National Industrial Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State, contending that the state government was not competent to conduct competency test for them.

The teachers are further contending that it was only the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria that can determine the standard of knowledge and skill to be attained by teachers in the country.
Plaintiffs in the suit are Okoekpen Emmanuel, Ebare Sunday, Bola Sunday and Osayande Samuel for themselves and on behalf of all Secondary School tutors in Edo State.

Other defendants in the suit are the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, Prof. Dennis Agbonlahor (Head of Committee set up by Edo State Government to conduct the assessment test), Mrs. Yemi Keri (Head of Information Technology Agency), Head of Service, Edo State, Ministry of Basic Education and Ministry of High Education.

Counsel to the teachers, Olayiwola Afolabi in the suit is praying the court to restrain the defendants, excluding the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, whether by themselves or their agents from conducting the competency test or any other pending the and determination of the substantive suit.

The teachers also want an order of court restraining the defendants from taking any step or doing anything inconsistent with their employment by withholding their salaries and or any of their entitlements, terminating their appointments as a result of the test, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

The plaintiffs want the court to declare that by virtue of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria Act Cap T3, it was only the body that can determine the standard of knowledge and skill to be attained by teachers in the country including Edo State.

They also want the court to declare “that the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria is the only statutory body empowered by law to conduct any test for teachers, which is the 3rd defendant an determine who are qualified to be in teaching profession in Nigeria including Edo State.

A declaration that Prof. Agbonlahor-led committee was not constituted by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria and so lacks the legal competence to conduct the said test.”