The Katsina State Government has stopped the salaries of 100 teachers who failed to report to duty without official authorisation.
The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Hajiya Zainab Musawa, disclosed this on Wednesday during the unveiling of a joint education sector coordination committee established by the ministry in partnership with UNICEF.
Musawa described absenteeism as a growing problem in schools, revealing that during visits to 20 schools across the state, she found less than 60 per cent of teachers present.
“I have more than 100 teachers whose salaries have been stopped as of today. Some abandoned their duty posts, while in one case, a teacher relocated to another state but continued drawing salaries from Katsina,” she said.
She cited one case where a teacher had been absent for two years, adding that the ministry had gathered sufficient evidence before halting payments. Many of the affected teachers only began appealing after their July to September salaries were withheld.
“In the ministry of education today, you will see teachers begging for their salaries to be restored. But when they absconded, they did not expect monitoring officers to discover their absence,” she said.
Musawa stressed that the challenges facing education in Katsina stem not only from government but also from teachers, parents, pupils and school administrators, urging all stakeholders to adopt a change in attitude.
Speaking at the unveiling, the Officer-in-Charge of UNICEF’s Kano Field Office, Mr Michael Banda, said the committee would strengthen data sharing, evidence-based decision-making, and accountability in Katsina’s education sector.
He explained that the committee would monitor the Katsina Education Sector Operation Plan, promote collaboration among stakeholders, and ensure alignment with state priorities, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and broader sectoral plans.
Banda added that UNICEF would support the committee for one year, cautioning members against negligence in their responsibilities.
