The Sokoto State government said it will conduct proficiency test for all teachers working in public schools in the state.

Governor Aminu Tambuwal said this during a meeting with Riskuwa Shehu, Chairman of the Sokoto State Committee on Emergency in Education.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Imam Imam, spokesman to governor Tambuwal, said that the committee had in November 2016 conducted a  needs assessment of public schools in the state and is expected to present its report soonest.

Imam stressed that the proficiency test is part of efforts to ensure that teachers in the state are appropriately qualified to drive the state’s education sector as well as to provide credible data on the number of teachers in the state’s public service.

He said: “The test will improve our data base on the number of teachers in public service which will in turn be used to harmonise records available with different agencies and departments of government.

“This is also part of measures taken under the emergency on education initiative to shore up standards.

The governor’s spokesman however added that the test was not designed to sack teachers who fall below the required standard.

“Alternatively, we will redeploy them to other sectors befitting of their qualifications and expertise,” he said.

“Government will continue to benefit from their services as to the terms of their employments.’’

Imam stated further that governor Tambuwal was determined to bring about a positive turn-around in the standard of the education in Sokoto state.

According to him, the governor’s resolve to improve education in the state was underscored by the fact that education retained the highest allocation in Sokoto State’s 2017 budget.

“Our thinking is that no amount of money allocated to the education sector is too much and we will not waver in this direction,” Imam quoted governor Tambuwal as saying.