Head Teacher demoted to gateman over certificate forgery scandal

A Head Teacher with the Cross River State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, on Grade Level 13 has been demoted to the post of a gateman on Grade Level 04, while 758 others were sent to lower grade levels for using fake certificates to gain employment into the service.

Dr. Stephen Odey, Chairman of SUBEB, said in Calabar that over 758 teachers with fake certificates and 700 ghost teachers were uncovered during a recent screening by the board across the state.

Dr. Odey said the fake certificates have been confiscated from their owners.

He added that although no punitive measures, apart from demotions and suspensions would be applied on the culprits, measures have been put in place to ensure that recruitment into the state teaching service is devoid of malpractices and fake certificate syndrome as in the past.

He revealed that those with genuine certificates are being promoted, while some who were employed as security men and care-givers, but have acquired additional qualifications, have been redeployed as class teachers.

*NationalHelm