The Kwara State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), has disqualified eight prospective teachers after testing positive for hard drugs, including marijuana, tramadol, amphetamines, and other banned substances.
The candidates, who were among the 1,800 shortlisted applicants seeking teaching roles in the highly competitive recruitment process, were immediately dropped from the list and replaced by the next best-performing candidates from their respective local government areas.
TESCOM Chairman, Bello Taoheed Abubakar, confirmed the disqualifications in a press release issued on Tuesday, revealing that the drug tests were conducted in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and fully supported by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
“This is a clear message that Kwara State will not tolerate drug abuse, especially not in our classrooms,” Abubakar stated.
“We have a duty to protect our children from being influenced by individuals under the influence of hard substances,” he said.
The affected candidates were found to have consumed substances such as benzodiazepines, tramadol, cotinine, marijuana, and amphetamines — all of which pose serious health risks and impair judgment, making them unfit for the sensitive role of teaching.
Abubakar commended Governor AbdulRazaq for insisting on merit-based recruitment and upholding high standards in the education sector.
“This action underlines the Governor’s commitment to quality education and fair opportunity for all qualified Kwarans,” he added.