KAGOTE Deploys 1,000 Volunteer Teachers to Ogoni Public Schools, Places Them on N50,000 Monthly Allowance

By Joseph Sunday

The apex socio-cultural organisation of the Ogoni people, KAGOTE, has inaugurated 1,000 volunteer teachers to address the acute shortage of teachers in public primary schools across Ogoniland.

The volunteers, selected from over 5,000 applicants, were formally onboarded on Friday at Gokpa Hall, Saakpenwa, in Tai Local Government Area. The ceremony was attended by KAGOTE leadership, council chairmen, political leaders, education stakeholders, and the volunteers.

Under the Teachers Intervention Scheme, the volunteers will be deployed to public primary schools in the four Ogoni LGAs — Khana, Gokana, Tai, and Eleme — with priority given to schools with critical manpower gaps.

Addressing the volunteers, KAGOTE President and CEO of Giolee Global Resources Ltd, Chief Lesi Maol, charged them to see the assignment as a duty to the community, not merely an opportunity to earn an allowance.

He warned that neglecting children at the formative stage has grave consequences for society.

“That child you refuse to teach today will be the Deebam and Dewell that will kill you tomorrow,” Maol said. “Teach them today or pay the price tomorrow.”

Maol explained that the scheme was conceived following an assessment he ordered upon assuming office as KAGOTE President. An Education Intervention Committee was constituted to audit teacher availability across public primary schools in the four LGAs, and its report revealed severe shortages.

The findings prompted KAGOTE to declare an education emergency and open applications for volunteer teachers.

N50,000 Monthly Allowance from September 28

Each volunteer will receive a monthly allowance of N50,000, with payment scheduled to commence on September 28, 2026.

Maol, however, cautioned against absenteeism, warning volunteers not to collect stipends without reporting for duty.

“If you refuse to go and teach despite getting your stipends, you are cheating yourself,” he said, urging discipline and commitment.

To ensure accountability, KAGOTE said it has created a comprehensive database of all 1,000 volunteers and will set up a monitoring committee to track attendance and performance. The committee will conduct unannounced visits to schools to verify presence and effectiveness.

Certificates of community service will be issued at the end of the programme.

Maol added that volunteers who demonstrate consistency, competence, and commitment will be well-positioned for future opportunities, as KAGOTE will use its database and monitoring records to recommend outstanding teachers during government recruitment exercises.

Stakeholders Commend Initiative

Former Senator representing Rivers South-East, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, described the scheme as an investment in the future of Ogoni children, noting that it goes beyond filling classrooms to giving children a chance to realise their potential.

He urged the volunteers to see the work as a sacrifice and pledged to advocate for them when government employment opportunities arise.

In his remarks, the Chairman of Tai LGA, Hon. Dr. Mbakpone Friday Okpe, pledged the support of his administration, describing education as the foundation of community development. He acknowledged that the shortage of teachers has been a longstanding challenge since he assumed office in 2021.

Chairmen of Khana and Eleme LGAs also expressed support for the intervention.

KAGOTE stressed that the scheme is a partnership designed to complement government efforts and not a replacement for government’s primary responsibility for teacher recruitment, remuneration, training, infrastructure, and supervision.

With the inauguration completed, KAGOTE said attention will now shift to deployment, monitoring, and ensuring sustained classroom presence across Khana, Gokana, Tai, and Eleme.

The success of the intervention, it noted, will depend on regular attendance by volunteers, effective teaching, timely payment of allowances, and the effectiveness of the monitoring mechanism.