The affected teachers, operating under the aegis of Sunset Teachers, made the appeal at a news conference in Ilorin on Saturday.
The group’s Deputy Coordinator, Wasiu Yunusa, said the teachers were recruited in January 2019, towards the end of the previous administration, before being disengaged by the current government.
According to Yunusa, 2,214 teachers were initially affected by the decision, although some were subsequently reinstated. He said approximately 1,220 others remained out of service.
He explained that the governor had assured the affected workers upon assuming office that they would not be penalised for being recruited towards the end of his predecessor’s administration.
Yunusa said the governor had described the teachers as his children who should not be punished because of the circumstances surrounding their employment.
However, he said the teachers were later surprised to learn that workers recruited in 2019 had been disengaged.
“About a year after the assurance, we heard online that all workers engaged in 2019 had been disengaged,” he lamented.
The deputy coordinator said the affected workers subsequently met with the governor to seek clarification on the decision.
According to him, the governor directed them to reapply for their positions, a directive they complied with, but most of the teachers were yet to be reinstated.
Yunusa added that the group had submitted several appeal letters to the governor, seeking a review of their cases and a reconsideration of their employment status.
He said the prolonged disengagement had created financial difficulties for many members, particularly those responsible for caring for elderly parents and other dependants.
The teachers’ representative appealed to the state government to review their situation, stressing the need for the affected workers to return to employment and resume their family responsibilities.
He urged the governor to intervene and ensure that the outstanding cases were addressed, expressing hope that the remaining disengaged teachers would be given another opportunity to serve the state.
