The Federal Government has proposed the temporary engagement of retired teachers and skilled volunteers as part of measures to address staffing shortages in the country’s education sector.

The proposal is contained in the National Teacher Policy released last month by the Federal Ministry of Education.

The document outlines a range of interventions aimed at addressing persistent challenges affecting the teaching profession, including acute teacher shortages, declining quality of instruction, and low retention rates.

According to the policy, authorities may resort to drawing from experienced professionals outside the active workforce, particularly in areas facing crisis situations or severe manpower gaps.

“In case of crisis areas where retired teachers and highly skilled volunteers are available, State Ministries of Education shall consider recruitment temporarily to fill existing human resource shortages,” the document stated.

The policy also emphasises recruiting teachers from local communities as a strategy to improve retention and reduce frequent staff turnover.

“The Federal Ministry of Education and State Ministries of Education shall ensure that teachers are recruited from among the local communities to promote retention,” it states.

The policy identifies widespread gaps in the system, including teacher attrition, inadequate subject mastery, and the engagement of unqualified personnel.

It notes that “lack of enforcement of teacher professionalism” has led to the rise of non-certified practitioners, while shortages have increased workload and stress among teachers, affecting the quality of instruction.