BENUE STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY GIVES SUBEB THE NOD TO GO-AHEAD WITH CENTRALIZED CBT.
By itatu Isaac, Benue State correspondent
The Benue State House of Assembly (BSHOA) has given the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) approval to proceed with the Computer-Based Test (CBT) for the ongoing teachers’ recruitment exercise. This decision follows a meeting today between the Assembly and the Executive Chairman of Benue SUBEB, where discussions were held regarding the concerns raised about the CBT process.
It will be recalled that the Assembly had earlier resolved during plenary to suspend the CBT and revert to a manual written examination. However, after being fully briefed by SUBEB on the benefits of the CBT, the Assembly has reconsidered its position.
Speaking at a press conference, the Majority Leader of the BSHOA, Honourable Saater Tiza, explained that the Assembly now acknowledges that the advantages of the CBT outweigh the challenges. With the establishment of Smart Schools and E-learning centres in Benue, funded by UBEC grants and international donors such as the Korean Government, it is crucial that teachers recruited for these schools are computer literate. Resorting to a manual recruitment process could jeopardize the state’s standing with these donors, potentially leading to a withdrawal of future support.
Furthermore, the world is going digital, and transparency is key to recruiting quality teachers for the future. The Chairman of the Assembly’s Standing Committee on Education, Right Honourable Cephas Dyako, emphasized that this decision was made in the best interest of the state and its education system.
The Executive Chairman of Benue SUBEB , Dr Grace Adagba,expressed her gratitude to the Assembly for supporting the continuation of the CBT as originally scheduled.
The Assembly has, therefore, reversed its earlier decision and fully endorses the CBT to hold centrally . Consequently, the initial schedule for the CBT still stands and the recruitment process will hold as planned.