A storm of controversy has erupted in Delta State as the Post Primary Education Board (PPEB) issued a directive mandating all teachers and non-teaching staff in secondary schools to acquire ICT tablets through personal purchase or salary deductions. This decision has sparked public outrage, with education stakeholders, civil society groups, and teachers themselves condemning it as exploitative and unjust, particularly given the economic realities confronting educators in the state.
The directive, dated July 23, 2025, and signed by Bazunu Aghogho Precious on behalf of the PPEB Executive Chairman, insists that all personnel must either present evidence of having acquired the tablet or show proof of enrollment in a salary-deduction scheme facilitated by a private vendor, TrendAfrique Solutions Ltd. The memo warns that failure to comply would affect eligibility for ongoing promotion exercises.
Teachers in Delta State, many of whom reportedly earn salaries below the national minimum wage due to outdated grading or contract limitations, have expressed dismay. “This is not empowerment, it’s financial punishment,” said a secondary school teacher in Ughelli who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal. “How do you expect someone earning less than ₦40,000 monthly to afford a tablet without affecting their survival?”
According to the circular, the tablets are embedded with educational applications and intended to enhance the ICT proficiency of teachers. However, critics argue that the same apps can function effectively on the Android smartphones that many teachers already own, thereby questioning the rationale behind compelling educators to buy new devices.
“This is nothing short of extortion,” said Mrs. Comfort Aideyan, a retired education administrator and rights advocate. “The tablets have probably been inflated in cost and the burden transferred to poor teachers who have dedicated their lives to shaping future generations.”
A similar pattern of exploitation, sources say, was observed between 2014 and 2018 in Delta State when teachers were sold substandard laptops through enforced salary deductions. Those laptops reportedly failed to meet performance expectations, leaving many teachers frustrated and disillusioned with the government’s approach to digital literacy.
Ironically, while teachers are being coerced to pay for work tools, members of the Delta State House of Assembly and other political officeholders routinely receive free luxury vehicles, laptops, and generous wardrobe and accommodation allowances highlighting the entrenched inequality in public resource allocation.
Observers suggest that this latest move may be more about political optics than genuine reform. “In a few months, the governor will go on air bragging that he distributed tablets to all teachers in the state,” said a civil society commentator on X (formerly Twitter). “But he won’t mention that they were paid for by the victims themselves.”
Multiple education stakeholders believe the Delta State Ministry of Education may have already budgeted for the tablets, making the forced deductions both unethical and potentially fraudulent. Transparency advocates are calling for an independent audit to trace how much was allocated for digital learning tools and why the cost is being shifted to teachers.
“This ICT project should be a government investment, not a loan scheme forced on already struggling workers,” said Comrade Edwin Oduaran, a representative of a local teachers’ union. “We demand that the tablets be given free of charge, and any deductions already made should be refunded.”
Teachers in neighbouring states have also voiced solidarity, recalling similar schemes like the controversial Ondo State certificate-for-promotion requirement that forced educators to pay over ₦130,000 for a locally issued certificate not recognised outside the state. “This shows a national pattern of undermining the dignity of educators,” said a representative from the National Union of Teachers (NUT).
As the backlash grows, legal experts argue that the state may be violating labour rights by attaching career progression to personal purchases. “You can’t make employment conditions contingent on buying from a specific vendor,” said human rights lawyer Barr. Rose Ezurike. “This opens the state up to class-action lawsuits.”
At the heart of the protest is a deep sense of betrayal among teachers, who feel abandoned and undervalued. “The government claims to be digitalising education, yet it is failing to understand that development must begin by supporting not punishing teachers,” said a principal in Warri.
As of press time, the Delta State Ministry of Education had yet to issue a public statement addressing the widespread backlash. However, The Nigeria Education News will continue to monitor the unfolding situation and provide updates as teachers across the state decide their next line of action ranging from legal redress to possible strike action.
