Abia State Government through the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MOBSE) is set to release the list of shortlisted successful candidates from the 28,213 individuals who applied for the second batch of the teachers’ recruitment exercise approved by Governor Alex Otti, with the aim of employing an additional 4,000 teachers across the state.
This development is expected to take place as the window for verification of submissions by candidates closes this week. The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Monday at Government House Umuahia while briefing journalists on the outcome of the first edition of the 2026 weekly State Executive Council meeting presided over by the governor.
Prince Kanu recalled that the state government opened the recruitment portal for the teachers’ exercise on November 6, 2025, and that the portal officially closed on Friday, November 29, 2025. He explained that the process attracted strong interest from qualified applicants across the state.
“Following the closure of submissions, applicants were granted a review window to verify and correct their application details,” the commissioner said. “The window for verification of submissions closes this week. The applicants shortlisted thereafter will be meant to sit for the computer-based tests (CBT).”
He added that candidates who successfully pass the CBT would proceed to the interview stage of the recruitment process. According to him, the recruitment exercise is designed to strengthen the education sector and improve teaching quality in public schools across Abia State.
“Those who pass the tests will now go for the interview. It is worthy to recall that the state government plans to employ an additional 4,000 teachers from this exercise, to add to the 5,394 teachers already employed sometime in the past year,” Prince Kanu stated.
Beyond the recruitment exercise, the commissioner announced that the state government has inaugurated the Abia State Safe Schools Steering Committee. He said the committee was set up to safeguard lives and property in educational institutions across the state.
“This is in response to the growing need to safeguard educational institutions in the state, following emerging security concerns around the country,” he explained. He noted that safety in schools has become a national concern and that Abia State is taking proactive steps to protect learners and education workers.
Prince Kanu said that during the inauguration, it was highlighted that the committee would serve as a multi-sectoral strategic platform. According to him, the committee will coordinate state-level implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration and oversee the development and monitoring of safety and protection protocols for schools.
He added that the committee would also engage stakeholders from the education, security, humanitarian, and civil sectors, while mobilising financial and technical resources aimed at providing safer learning spaces across the state.
The commissioner further disclosed that two smart schools would be ready for commissioning in February, noting that work is progressing steadily across the state on the smart school projects initiated by the administration.
“Very significant milestones have been recorded in terms of infrastructure, equipment, and training for the teachers who will run the smart schools when fully operational,” Prince Kanu said, adding that the schools are expected to support digital learning and modern teaching methods.
On the academic calendar, he informed that schools resumed on Monday, January 12, 2026, for the second term of the 2025–2026 academic year. He said monitoring of school resumption would be carried out by education officers overseeing basic and secondary education to ensure compliance by all schools.
Prince Kanu also highlighted major digital milestones recently achieved by the Governor Otti-led administration through the Office of the Chief Information Officer. He listed these to include the establishment of a Document Digitisation Bureau for land records, a centralised Online Recruitment Platform, the redesign of the Abia State Government website, and the rollout of an e-Health project in six pilot hospitals.
He further informed journalists that laptops have been procured and distributed to certain categories of senior government officials as part of efforts to fully digitise government operations in the state and improve efficiency in public service delivery.
On transportation, Prince Kanu noted that the pilot phase of the electric bus ride scheme in the state has recorded a very strong commuter response, which he said reflects growing public trust in the government’s transport initiatives.
“So far, over 31,500 passengers have enjoyed the free bus rides, which will continue until full commercial operations commence,” he said. He explained that several supporting infrastructure projects are being completed ahead of the full rollout.
“The free rides will continue until the full commercial services commence. The supporting infrastructure for the operations of the bus mass transit service such as the ultra modern bus terminal, junction improvement works in Umuahia, the installation of the charging stations, and all other support infrastructure are being readied for the full commencement of the bus commercial services,” Prince Kanu stated.
Responding to questions on the attitude of some passengers who rush to board the buses, the Commissioner for Transport, Dr Chimezie Ukaegbu, said such challenges are expected at the pilot stage of the project.
“You know, like I said initially, this is the pilot stage, and the pilot stage is the learning period,” he said. “I know in all the bus shelters, we’ve actually procured the services of the Harmonised Task Force, and of course, Homeland Security for the provision of security at the bus shelters.”
Dr Ukaegbu added that the presence of security personnel is to ensure passengers feel safe while using the new transport system. “They know this is a new thing. It’s just the first of its kind. And because it’s free, we will see a lot of people trying to board the buses at the same time. They will take notice of that, and it will be corrected,” he explained.
The press briefing was attended by the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Elder Goodluck Ubochi, and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Transport, Dr Obioma Nwaogbe.
