Cross River Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has uncovered 734 teachers with fake National Certificate of Education (NCE) and degree certificates in the state.

SUBEB Chairman, Dr. Stephen Odey, disclosed this in Calabar, yesterday, when he addressed some of the affected teachers and other stakeholders on the outcome of the teachers’ verification.

“At the end of the exercise, I can inform you that we discovered 734 teachers with fake NCE and degree certificates and over 230 TC 11 referrals who are also teaching.

“We have sent letters to the various institutions involved and we have their replies,” he said.

Odey said Governor Ben Ayade has directed him to take any measure against those involved but not to sack them.

“So, we are not going to dismiss them even though they have committed fraud, but, we are going to allow them on humanitarian grounds, to go back to school and remedy their situations.

“We do not want to take away food from their tables. We are granting them amnesty because we are brothers and sisters,” he said.

Odey said the governor was disturbed about the rot in the basic education system, but had given the board the go-ahead to sanitise the system at all costs.

The board chairman advised the affected teachers and others to seek admission for further studies through sandwich programmes and write his office for approval.

He said by so doing, they could update their knowledge for the benefits of the pupils and the overall interest of the state.

Odey promised that any teacher that corrected his or her situation would be reinstated to his or her former position.

He warned teachers against truancy, adding that SUBEB had installed digital monitoring devices to monitor teachers’ activities while in school.

Also, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Mr. Eyo Itam, commended the board for its efforts to sanitise the basic education sector.

“Since you assumed office, this present board had taken several steps to put the basic education in proper perspective.

“You have done many things aimed at ensuring the welfare of teachers in the state, we commend you, even though this exercise has its positive and negative parts, we are fully in support of you.

“I advise our teachers to take advantage of this exercise and return to school through legal means to better their lives,” he said.

He called on affected teachers, with genuine complaints, to lodge same with the state chapter of the NUT.

Some teachers expressed their happiness with the measures taken by the board and promised to take necessary steps to remedy their situations.

Mrs Rose Ibor said her problem was as a result of not completing Mathematics in her school and promised to go back to the school to write the course.

“I was employed based on the testimonial from my school since I did not pass Mathematics. I will return to my school for it,” she said. (Daily Sun)

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