By Amos Aar
THE BENUE State House of Assembly has directed the chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr Grace Adagba, to decentralise the Computer-Based Test (CBT) for the recruitment of teachers to all the 23 local government areas of the state with immediate effect to enhance efficiency and easy access to venues.
The Assembly took the decision during Wednesday’s plenary presided over by the speaker, Hon. Aondona Dajoh.
Before the Assembly’s intervention, the board had announced the schedule of the CBT for all applicants to be held in Makurdi, the state capital, from September 23, 2024 to October 28, 2024.
Moving the motion calling on the SUBEB chairman to decentralise the recruitment test process, minority leader of the House, Rt. Hon. Michael Audu, explained that due to the hardship occasioned by the hike in the price of petrol, it will be difficult for many applicants to travel to Makurdi for the test.
He said such decision by the SUBEB chairman will render many applicants hopeless, since they lack the finance to come down to Makurdi for the exercise.
Seconding the motion, member representing Katsina-Ala West State Constituency, Hon. Bemdoo Ipusu, described the decision as harsh considering the current economic hardship and urged the House to direct the chairman to decentralise the process.
Also contributing, member representing Makurdi North state constituency, Hon. Berger Alfred Emberga, decried the high level of unemployment in the state and urged the House to stop the centralisation of the process.
Berger noted that the move by the SUBEB chairman will disqualify many applicants who will not be financially buoyant to travel to Makurdi for the CBT.
The House urged the SUBEB chairman to ensure that every qualified indigene of Benue State is given due consideration.
