A total of 173 Principals and 93 Vice Principals attended a competence exam organized by the Kwara government on Wednesday in Ilorin.
Bayo Onimago, Permanent Secretary, Kwara Teaching Service Commission (TSC), confirmed the figure at the exam location at St. Anthony Secondary School, Ilorin.
He said the test was to guarantee that skilled personnel were deployed in the public schools of the state to enhance the educational standard.
According to him, before being invited to write the exam, the participants ‘ documents were correctly verified, adding that the practice would now be annual.
“Every participant present has been properly screened and scrutinised. They all have professional educational qualifications before being invited.
“The Principals must have attained Level 16 while the Vice Principals must attain Level 15. We based the invitation on merit and not who you know.
“We want an improved system of education. We want to revolutionise education under the new administration,” he said.
The permanent secretary also urged the participants to focus and be exemplary leaders to their teachers and students in their day-to-day activities.
He said that Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq had made available funds for the purchase of educational materials for schools that would be distributed before the resumption of the new academic session.
“We have everything ready to be distributed before the new academic session. Chalk, Desktop, Scheme of work, Science kits, Mathematical kits and other important materials will soon go round,” he said.
The exercise was described as the first of its kind by Rufus Agunbiade, one of the participants and head of Asa Local Government Commercial Secondary School.
“The test is good and will bring out the best in us. Merit is the watchword and not connection or ethnicity,” he said.
Yusuf Ayinla, another participant and Vice Principal of Government Day Secondary School, Alore said the exam would boost teachers ‘ morale in order to upgrade.
“It is a progressive arrangement that will really improve the quality of education in Kwara and produce quality principals, ” he said.