- Three Oyo teachers rewarded by Federal Government
- Obaseki commends Edo teachers, adds extra half-month bonus to 13th month salary
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun has approved the immediate employment of 1000 Ogun Teach Interns to mark this year’s World Teachers’ Day.
The gesture is meant to improve the pupil-teacher ratio and to fill the existing vacancies in public schools.
The governor also approved the engagement of 2,000 new OGUNTEACh applicants to the already engaged 2000 interns as well as a bungalow and cash prizes to teachers who did the State proud in the course of discharging their duties.
Governor Abiodun disclosed these at the year 2023 World Teachers’ Day celebration held at the Oba’s Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
The governor said the appointment of the new teachers takes immediate effect, adding that the administration is doing everything possible to improve the lots of teachers.
He said, “It is my great joy to announce to you that Ogun State will be having an education summit soonest, for cross-fertilizing ideas by critical stakeholders in the sector, to proffer workable solutions to how to improve our education sector beyond this point and institutionalize the desired excellence in all our schools in line with the dreams of our founding fathers.
“To complement this initiative, we will be inaugurating an education trust fund to fund education infrastructure across the various levels. Also, a special committee on the rehabilitation of public schools to complement SUBEB’s interventions will be inaugurated soon.”
The governor reiterated his administration’s high premium on the welfare and wellbeing of teachers just as it continues to prioritise education to be in the first line charge in expenditure for the state and in all the local governments to bridge the gap of deficit in the sector.
While reeling out some achievements in the education sector, Governor Abiodun said his administration has embarked on the training of 750 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics teachers in a new teaching pedagogy called PSI-PMI to suppress the conventional approach of teaching, especially in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education.
To encourage teachers to perform optimally, the governor said he has directed the release of promotion letters for 2021-2022, two months of leave bonuses for public servants, and N10, 000.00 payments to all public servants and pensioners in the state.
“Our government also procured and installed the Education Management Information System (EMIS) equipment and gadgets to aid data collection, collation, and analysis in the education sector across the 20 LGEAs, among many interventions to prepare our students to compete with their peers around the world and also provide an enabling and conducive working environment for our teachers to contribute their best.”
The governor emphasized that as a responsive government, it is convinced of the need to better the lots of teachers to compensate for their selfless contributions to the upliftment of society, as the future of the children depends on the level and quality of their productivity.
While stressing the need to address the shortage of teachers in Nigeria’s education sector and that of the sub-Saharan Africa, the governor quoting data from the United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organization, said 69 million teachers are needed mostly from sub-Saharan Africa to reach universal basic education by 2030, while additional 24.4 million teachers in primary education and some 44.4 million teachers in secondary education are needed to achieve universal basic education by 2030.
“According to the data unveiled for 2022 World Teachers’ Day, 5.4 million teachers are needed at the primary level in sub-Saharan Africa and 11.1 million teachers at the secondary level if we are to achieve the targets set by the 2030 Agenda,” he added.
In his welcome address, the Special Adviser to the governor on Education, Science, and Technology, Abayomi Arigbabu described teachers as great patriots who are in the business of molding young minds, appreciating them for their efforts in maintaining the State’s standard of education.
In his goodwill message, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Abiodun Akinola, lauded Governor Abiodun for keeping fate with the annual event and for sustaining the Excellency Awards for best teachers and school administrators in the state, calling on the government to employ more teaching staff to reduce the workload of the existing ones.
The State Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, Felix Agbesanwa on his part stated that Nigeria and the world at large is facing the challenge of unprecedented shortage of teachers, adding that this year’s celebration was to stop the decline in the number teachers and to showcase practice that would attract, retain and motivate those in the teaching profession.
Agbesanwa commended the governor for implementing five years of promotion in four years for workers in the state, and for abolishing all levies in schools as well as initiating through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, various policies and interventions geared towards increasing students’ Higher Education Potential in the state.
Highlights of the occasion was the presentation of keys of 2-bedroom bungalows to Akeem Badru, the first African winner of the Cambridge Dedicated Teacher’s Award and the best overall Teacher in public primary school from Egba Division, Togbe Ganiyu.
Others were cash prizes of N2 million to Amosun Temitope Olaoluwa as best teacher in junior secondary school from Remo, N2 million for Ganiyu Wasiu, as best teacher, senior secondary school category from Egba Division.
Ajayi Abosede emerged the best primary school administrator from Egba division with a cash prize of N1 million, Samza Omolara from Ijebu Division emerged the best school administrator in junior secondary school, while Kusimo Oluseyi was adjudged the best administrator in senior secondary school from Egba division with N1 million.
Baptist High School (Junior), Saje, Abeokuta, emerged the best in public secondary school and took home N7.5 million, followed by Remo Secondary School (Senior), Sagamu, which also went home with N7.5m.
Angela Otabo from Egba Division went home with N500,000 having emerged the best teacher in the private school category.
Three Oyo teachers rewarded by Federal Government
Three teachers from Oyo State, won awards in various categories of the 2023 Presidential Teachers and School Excellence Award at the Eagle’s square, Abuja.
This was announced by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Salihu Abdulwaheed Adelabu, during the celebration of the World Teachers’ Day celebration.
He added that the Oyo State awardees are part of the winners who were drawn from different public and private primary and secondary schools across the country.
Adelabu was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Adeniyi Olusanjo at an event organized to mark the 2023 World Teachers’ Day at NUT Model College, Ibadan.
The awardees from Oyo State are Babarinlo Samson Oluwaseun, Head teacher, Methodist Basic School, Iseyin; Amoo Joseph, Principal, Government College, Ibadan; and Odejayi Olatunde Adedamilola, Proprietor, Second Home College, Olodo, Ibadan.
Congratulating the winners, Adelabu reiterated the Oyo State government’s focus on reforms in the education sector, including recruitment of more teachers into the primary sector of the state.
He said, “the recruitment and posting of teachers to all our public secondary schools, prompt payment of salaries and good working conditions is now the order of the day. Effort is ongoing to recruit teachers at the primary school level. This has gone a long way in addressing the issue of out of school children, thereby ranking the State as one of the best in the nation.”
The Commissioner applauded the efforts of all teachers, and the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Oyo State Wing for being pillars of support to the present administration.
Adelabu said studies have shown that acute shortage of teachers is usually caused by poor salaries, poor working conditions and high student-teacher ratio, noting that this is a thing of the past in Oyo State.
He therefore appealed to teachers in the State to reciprocate the good gesture of the government by rendering good service to the state’s education sector.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Oyo State Teaching Service Commission, Akinade Alamu, applauded Governor Seyi Makinde for making the teaching profession attractive in the state.
Alamu highlighted the Oyo State government’s efforts towards creating a conducive environment for teachers.
He noted that though the profession is still faced with some challenges, the Oyo State Government is poised to make life more meaningful for teachers.
In his speech, the State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Raji Oladimeji, said teachers in the state were enjoying the dividends of good governance.
He thanked the Oyo State Government for giving an enabling environment for teachers to exhibit their talents.
Raji who also applauded the appointment of a Professor as the Commissioner for Education, noted that the State Government has not relented in prompt payment of salaries; defrayment of all backlog of deductions; upward review of car loans to teachers; among other kind gestures towards teachers.
Highlights of the event included the presentation of awards to the chairman of the occasion, Dotun Sanusi; and a match-past by teachers from all the zones in Oyo State.
The event was graced by stakeholders in the education sector, including the Acting Executive Secretary, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Mrs. Olaide Ladipo; Education Secretaries; past NUT chairmen; Permanent Secretaries/Tutor Generals from Ministry of Education among others.
Obaseki commends Edo teachers, adds extra half-month bonus to 13th month salary
The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has promised to pay teachers in the state an extra half-month bonus in December, in addition to the 13th-month salary to be paid to all workers in the state, as part of gifts to celebrate the teachers on the occasion of this year’s World Teachers’ Day.
Obaseki made the promise while addressing the teachers during an event to mark the day in the state, held at the Conference Hall of Teachers House in Siluko Road, Benin City.
Commending the teachers for their role in societal development, Obaseki promised to ensure better welfare for the teachers, providing them with the skills, tools, and other incentives to effectively deliver on their roles in society.
The governor said, “Teachers say I should give them palliative or gifts for today. I have already promised all workers in Edo State that you will get your 13th month salaries this year. What I will add as a gift to celebrate the teachers because of the World Teachers Day celebration is that all the teachers will get an additional half-month bonus.”
Acknowledging the teachers for supporting the government’s reforms in the education sector, which has made Edo a model State in tackling learning poverty, the governor noted, “With the transformation we have taken in basic education, Edo is now a model to be copied globally as the world is asking us how we did it. I tell them anywhere I go that my teachers are the ones who did it.
“Edo children are no longer known for learning poverty. The world is talking about EdoBEST. Learning poverty is when a child that is up to 10 years old can’t read a complete sentence or write. We say such a child is suffering from learning poverty.
“As a government, we owe our teachers in the State and are grateful to them for what they are doing for the future of Edo State as the children they teach are the future of the State. Our teachers are building the future of Edo State, which is human resources.”
He continued, “I recall in 2018, I told the teachers that we have to do something and transform the education sector in Edo. But the problem we had in the past was that of trust because of failed promises over the years.
“But in six years, my administration has been able to build trust which is the foundation of anything in life. With trust, we have changed the landscape of education in Edo State. We still have challenges and problems to solve but they are not unique to us. We have done our best to improve in the sector.
“Teachers are the anchor of EdoBEST reforms. You have done well for our children and the reforms are far-reaching as people are coming into the State to learn how we did it. Our doors are open for them to learn how we have achieved what we have achieved.”
Describing the theme of the celebration as apt, the governor further stated, “We believe we have already started grooming the teachers we want that will help us fulfill the educational vision we want for our future leaders.
“We have equipped our teachers in the basic schools with technological devices to enhance teaching. We have laid 2,000km of fiber optic connection across the local governments in Edo State and our plan is to connect every school and empower more teachers to give better education and information to our students.
“We will build on what we have started and pray we get a successor that believes in education and the teachers to keep the sector moving.”
Noting efforts by the government to address teachers’ shortage, Obaseki said, “The EdoSTAR programme was started to discontinue the situation where just anybody teaches our children rather than trained teachers.
“Today we have 4,500 fellow star teachers and we pay them N40, 000 and observe them before finally recruiting them into the mainstream of the education sector. We will continue to address the issue of insufficient teachers in our schools.”
On his part, the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers, Edo State Chapter, Bernard Gbenga, said the World Teachers Day celebration is set aside yearly to celebrate, appreciate, recognize, and reward teachers for their contributions to the education sector and development of society.
He further commended the governor for prioritising the welfare of the teachers in the State, and taking deliberate steps to revamp and strengthen the education sector.
