From right: Deputy Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Ochor Ochor, state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Chief Patrick Ukah, who represented the state Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, state Chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Titus Okotie, 3rd National Vice Chairman of NUT, Comrade Bashiu Oyewo, and the Special Adviser to Governor Okowa on Labour Relations, Comrade Mike Okeme, during the 2019 World Teachers Day celebration in Asaba.
ASABA/Nigeria: The Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has said that the present administration in the state is committed to education as the key to the future of not just the state, but of any society, just as he had rewarded 12 teachers with cash and cars
Senator Okowa, in a goodwill message at the 2019 World Teachers Day in Asaba Saturday, October 5, 2019, stated that this explains why the education sector is taken seriously in the state.
Represented by the state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Chief Patrick Ukah, the governor disclosed that incentive packages have been put in place to encourage the pursuit of higher education by Deltans, particularly in science, information and communication technology.
He called on teachers at all levels to pay attention to Information Communication Technology, as it is increasingly becoming the pivot around which the future inevitably revolves.
The Governor noted that the responsibility for making teaching desirable is on government, unions and teachers and as stakeholders in the development of education, it is incumbent on them to excel in what they do in meeting the challenge.
In his address, the National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Nadir Idris, represented by the 3rd National Vice Chairman, Comrade Bashiu Oyewo, said that the issue of shortage of teachers has remained a major challenge in the education system, adding that reports from practitioners indicate an alarming rate of retirement of teachers without a corresponding recruitment to fill the gap.
The Chairman of Delta State wing of the union, Comrade Titus Okotie, said that the theme of this year’s celebration ‘Young Teachers, The Future Of The Profession’ is very apt as it is a clarion call on government at all levels to save the teaching profession from eminent collapse by recruiting young teachers into public schools.
The state Head of Service, Mr. Reginald Bayoko, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour Matters, Comrade Mike Okeme, and the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Delta State Council, Comrade Goodluck Ofobruku, delivered goodwill messages during the ceremony.
Teachers from the 25 Local Government Areas in the state participated in the march past that was a highlight of the occasion.
….Rewards
As part of , 12 teachers in Delta received cars and cash rewards for outstanding performance in their duties.
The state governor, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, announced the rewards at a Dinner and Awards night organised by Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education in conjunction with Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) for teachers in the state, in Asaba.
Recipients of the awards were principals, head teachers and classroom teachers at primary and secondary school levels, who emerged from a selection process.
Okowa charged teachers not to only teach but develop the attitude and moral traits of their pupils.
“I want to congratulate the awardees and to let them know that the reward of teachers is not only in heaven.
“This type of recognition will touch the hearts of our teachers and make them to work harder in the development of our children.
“The teachers, just like parents, play an important role in the development and upbringing of the child.
“We need to continue to give care to our children and guide them aright because it is at this foundational level that we can mould their character.
“We need to get the moral development of the children aright at this level, so that it will be well with our nation.” he said.
The governor urged the awardees to redouble their commitment to the upbringing of the pupils, reminding them that “teaching is a passion that genuinely flows from the heart”.
He commended Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education for organising the event and NUT for its tremendous support and partnership in improving the education sector in the state.
Earlier, Mr Patrick Ukah, Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, had in his speech, said that the awardees were selected from a process that involved over 49,000 teachers and students in 470 public secondary schools and 1,126 primary schools in the state.
He congratulated the awardees and said that the assessment was done and vetted by a team of academics drawn from various tertiary institutions in the country.
The awardees are Messrs Asanuvwe Elizabeth, Owumi Onome, Omotie Phoebe(Best Primary School Teachers); Oyemike Andrew, Ogwara Gabriel, Esiedafe Doris (Best Head Teacher); Imarah Georgina, Eseimokumoh Charles, Ikeh Bridget ( Best Secondary school Teacher); and Ominiabohs Adeline, Adiri Jonathan, Okolafor Fidelis (Best Principal).
