EKITI State government Monday denied rumours that it was planning to sack some of the striking teachers. Instead, the Commissioner for Education, Mr. Kehinde Ojo, disclosed that Governor Kayode Fayemi had, about three weeks ago, approved the recruitment of new teachers to fill vacant positions.

Teachers in Ekiti State last Monday joined the nationwide strike in 11 states over the non-payment of the 27.5 per cent Teachers’ Peculiar Allowance, and this coincided with the proposed recruitment of teachers in State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), thereby fuelling speculation that it was intended to weed the teachers.

When newsmen visited TESCOM yesterday, a large number of applicants were seen at the venue struggling to procure forms for the advertised vacancies.

However, Ojo maintained that vacancy for the 1,600 new teachers to be employed in the teaching profession was advertised about three weeks ago when there was no insight into any impending strike.

He commended the teachers for seeing reasons the government could not pay the 27.5 per cent but 15 per cent, which amounts to about N90 million monthly, pending the time others would be fully implemented.