Dr. Stephen Odey, Cross River State Education Commissioner, has announced that the state needs about 20,000 teachers in its public schools.

Odey revealed this in his office while commenting on efforts undertaken by the current administration to reform the education sector of the state.

He said to fill the vacancy, the ministry has decided to employ the teachers in phases, starting with 6,000 teachers, and a memo is presently before the governor in this regard.

We need about 20,000 teachers to get it right in this sector.

He added, After spending about N400 million naira to pay WAEC fees and you have no physics or math teacher, what are you expecting?

“That’s why we ask for the employment of 6,000 teachers during the first phase of employment.

Dr. Odey opined that to boost the morale of the teachers, his ministry has sought the consent of the governor for the promotion of teachers.

However, he also debunked the alleged padding of names in the list of Cross River State indigenes to benefit from the WAEC fee payment by the state government.

Rejecting the allegation, he said, “I debunk in totality that the WAEC list was padded.

“The list was not padded and will never be padded under my watch. This position was given to me in trust; otherwise, I will not accept the offer to be a  commissioner," he said.