Map of Lakes State. (Wikipedia).

19 teachers who were detained in Lakes State for refusing to do screening tests recently have been released from military detention facilities.

That’s according to Daniel Makoi, one of the freed teachers.

Makoi told Eye Radio Monday, June 19, 2023, they were released on Friday after spending five days in detention at different military barracks.

Their arrest on the 11^th of June came after they protested to seat for state screening exams that were meant to identify professional teachers and train those unqualified.

“We have been released on Friday evening. We spent five days of detention in a military barracks,” Makoi said.

“The reason was the screening and examinations which they said is a policy of the State for all teachers and volunteer teachers to seat for screening exams, and this was the misunderstanding between the State government and the teachers who were appointed.”

When asked why they refused to do the test, Makoi thinks the process was meant to delay the payment of the arrears they had been calling for over the years.

Another reason he said, they are already trained and experienced teachers and were appointed by the previous state government in 2011.

Meanwhile, the state Coordinator of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, CEPO confirmed to Eye Radio the teachers’ release.

Daniel Laat told Eye Radio, this came after the organization engaged with the state authorities over what he called their arbitrary detention.

“When these teachers were detained, we engaged the minister himself and we also engaged other authorities, the other stakeholders of education to make sure these teachers are released,” Laat said.

“We asked them if they think these teachers have committed crimes, why don’t take them to the police and follow the due process of laws, and, if there are allegations known or may be accusations against them, there is no need to arbitrarily detain teachers in the military detention facilities.”