No fewer than 137 persons out of the 344 civil servants on the directorate cadre jostling to be appointed as principals of the nation’s 110 unity schools across the country failed the examination organised by the Federal Ministry of Education, The PUNCH reports.

Our correspondent learnt that the 207 directors, who passed the computer based competency test, had been scheduled for oral interviews.

The PUNCH reports that Nigeria’s 110 unity schools include the special schools for the gifted spread across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

The Federal Government had decided that from the 2022/2023 academic session, those to be appointed principals of the schools must have taken part in a competency-based test and emerged successful.

The PUNCH had initially reported that 344 persons were shortlisted for the examination.

According to a list attached to a circular marked FME/S/1317/C.1/VOL.1/51 dated August 16, 2022 and signed by the Director, Human Resource Management, Federal Ministry of Education, David Gende, only 207 of the earlier shortlisted 344 candidates passed the computer-based competency test and were scheduled for oral interviews.

“The following successful candidates in the Competency Based Test held on August 16, 2022, are expected to present themselves for oral interview,” the instructions on the circular read.