By Omoruyi Patricia Osayomore
In its usual culture of recognizing and honouring deserving workers, Edo State Government through its Ministry of Education in collaboration with the State Universal Basic Education Board (Edo SUBEB), the Board for Technical and Vocational Education Training (BTVET) and the Library Board, hosted different strata of teachers in an event tagged: “Celebration of Edo State Teachers in commemoration of the 2022 International World Teachers’ Day” at Imaguero College Hall in Benin City.
Addressing education officers at the event, the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Joan Osa-Oviawe, said that teaching is a profession for the best of the best, buttressing the aptness of the 2022 theme for the International Teachers’ Day, “The Transformation of Education Begins with Teachers.”
She added that the best brains and government’s attention are required for the transformation and sustainability of the State’s education system.
In her words, “The tasking responsibilities of teachers have endeared the State to ensuring all remuneration accruing to them is paid promptly,” reminding attendees of the last increment of the State’s minimum wage from N30,000 to N40,000 for workers in the State including teachers.
“That commitment by Governor Obaseki on the N40,000 minimum wage amounts to 300 million Naira leaving the State’s coffers monthly as teachers’ salaries and the Governor has also revived the Teachers’ Special Allowance. Such is to demonstrate how much the State holds teachers in high esteem.
“The State will continually be motivated to reward teachers as long as teachers keep impressing the education system through accountability, commitment, hard work and proficiency among other criteria.”
Dr. Oviawe announced that June 15th, 2023, will be the maiden edition of teachers’ special appreciation and award day and will subsequently be celebrated every third Wednesday of June annually, for teachers to be accorded their pride of place. She stressed that training sessions for teachers’ professional development abound in the State’s Colleges of Education.
She added that it is now only knowledge and abilities that can guarantee any teacher’s stay in the profession as the State will not tolerate the old order of “who you know and not what you know”.
The Commissioner promised that faulty infrastructure in all State-owned schools will be fixed and cautioned that the State government will no longer tolerate extortion of parents and students. She warned that any head of school or officer caught in the act of extortion will be prosecuted and made to vacate his or her position and the teaching profession.
On her part, the Chairman, Edo State Universal Education Board (SUBEB), Mrs. Ozavize Salami, said that Edo State Government has brought to the State level the celebration of amazing members of society who have chosen the noble profession, teaching, which the world celebrates on October 5th annually.
She added that the day was used by Edo State’s education ecosystem to celebrate all its teachers. While appreciating the Commissioner and EdoBEST pioneer for putting the event together, she said “teachers are recognized as amazing professionals made up of men and women who wake up each day and present themselves, regardless of clime or circumstance to be in the classrooms across the State in order to mould the collective future by the work they do.
The Edo SUBEB Chairman asserted that everyone identifies and agrees with John Wooden’s position that “The teaching profession contributes more to the future of our society than any other single profession. No wonder the 2022 International day celebration resolves around the theme ‘Transformation of Education begins with Teachers’. Without any doubt, the Governor Obaseki-led administration’s reforms on education began with the transformation of teachers.
“The vision is still committed to equipping teachers with the right skills, tools and necessary welfare packages in order to transform them as individuals and then cascade the transformation into the classrooms to manifest improved learning outcomes in the hope that this would reflect as an explosion of community engagements and partnerships.
“It is a thing of pride that the State’s current administration has consistently manifested the political will and capacity to invest in the total transformation of education in general. Edo State teachers are truly the ambassadors of transformation, and have been rated among the best in the Country, performing their duties diligently.”
She appealed to residents not to shirk their responsibilities of supporting teachers, noting that the target is high; yet teachers encounter a series of challenges ranging from infrastructure dilapidation, shortage of personnel among others, while they still pay the optimal price to build world-class leaders.
Mrs. Salami said that the EdoSTAR Fellowship programme will continue to grow under the current administration. Part of the testimony for its progress so far is that senior secondary schools in the State currently have EdoSTAR teachers, thus making it possible to overcome initial teething problems of shortage of teachers in the system. She added that the EdoSTAR teachers now provide the required personnel and manpower that are community-based in order to sustain quality teaching and learning across all schools in the State.
While expressing her appreciation to all teachers, she empathized with those facing some health challenges, reminding them to take their individual and collective wellness seriously with the EdoHIS program which the State Governor has put in place to grant them access to full health coverage at all times. She assured the teachers that the road ahead is what they make of it, encouraging them to get prepared, collaborate and accommodate one another as the State trudges along for the ultimate objective which is to deliver quality education for every Edo child.
The high point of the event was the presentation of a gift to Mrs. Grace Osakue, of Asoro Grammar School after her keynote address titled “My Success Story in Asoro Grammar School.” Attendees also received gifts at the event. According to the Commissioner, the gifts are a token of gratitude to Mrs. Osakue and the teachers for their contributions in various capacities towards developing education in Edo State.
