Lagos School, Teachers Win Presidential Award

Ekiti, Ogun gift cash, cars to teachers

Bolade Junior Grammar School, Oshodi, Lagos, has emerged best Public Junior Secondary School in the Federation at the 2021 President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Award (PTSEA).

According to a statement by Director, Public Affairs Officer of the Lagos State Ministry of Education, the event was held yesterday at the Eagle Square in Abuja. It noted that Mrs Obiwumi Salmot emerged second runner up as the Best Teacher, while Mr Odenike Rasheed clinched the fourth position in the best teacher in Public Senior Secondary School category.

This is just as Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, donated two brand new cars to best teachers in public primary and secondary schools in the state. Also, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, rewarded best teachers in the state with cash prizes ranging from N1 million to N2million.The governor equally gifted a semi-detached bungalow to the best overall teacher for year 2020 in the state.

The awards were given to the teachers and the school for their exemplary performance in the education sector, while the school got a bus in addition to the award.

According to the statement, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, Lagos State Commissioner for Education, is delighted with the news and victory of the awards.

Adefisayo attributed the success of the school and the teachers to the significant transformation and huge investment of Gov. Babajide Olusola Sanw-Olu’s administration in the last two years.

“The Lagos State has recorded outstanding performances and won laurels in various competitions and award ceremonies at National and International levels in recent times.

“This is an evidence of the efforts and collective commitment of the state government in adding value to the education sector,” she said.

The commissioner commended Mrs Okelola Oludara, Tutor General/Permanent Secretary Education District VI, for her dedication in managing the affairs of schools under her districts, making the state proud as overall best Public School in the federation.

She lauded the efforts of the Principal, Mrs Lateefat Ojo, and the teachers, noting that they played major roles to the success of the school.

She also charged them not to rest on their oars as more work needed to be done to attain greater heights.

Meanwhile, Governor Fayemi of Ekiti State, who also donated materials and cash gifts to some outstanding teachers , canvassed digital literacy as the best way to overcome the challenges being posed by Covid 19 pandemic to global education.

Bemoaning increasing incidences of sexual molestations in schools, Fayemi, said his government would deal decisively with anyone who harasses students sexually in any of the school, saying the state has zero tolerance for Gender Based Violence.

Fayemi added that those who got the brand new cars, cash gifts and other materials were thoroughly scrutinised by education authorities and found outstanding in their duties, describing the gesture as a display of reward mechanism.

“In this 21st Century, our great teachers cannot afford to be complacent about digital literacy if truly they want to be at the heart of education recovery. As far back as 2012, we made laptop computers available to our teachers and students and also encouraged extensive embrace of IT in teaching and learning.

On his part, Biodun of Ogun State disclosed that he had approved the immediate release of engagement letters to successful candidates of the Ogun Teach Programme to relieve the workload of teachers in the state, just as he also noted that he has approved the establishment of the Ogun State Education Intervention Fund (OGSEIF) to achieve improved funding for the educational sector of the state

Abiodun equally announced the allocation of lands to the All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) and Association of Primary School for their secretariats, Headteachers of Nigeria (AOPSHON) for the construction of their secretariats in the state.

He said his administration would continue to recognise and reward excellence in the teaching profession,

He described teachers as “holders of lamp” who illuminate the society and commended teachers under the umbrella of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Academic Staff Union of Secondary School (ASUSS) for their role in shaping the future leaders.

“The benefit of education to a society is akin to what lamp does to a person groping in the dark. The holder of the lamp in this case is the teacher. And in the words of a Greek Philosopher, Plato (428 – 347 B.C.) No society develops beyond the capacity of its teachers,” the governor said.

He said role of teachers in the provision of an efficient and effective educational system that not only prepares the products for the opportunities and challenges of the present day, but also equips them for a brighter future, can never be overemphasized.

Abiodun added that whatever educational system the state puts in place, it will go down to the teachers who actually interpret and manifest the vision at the classroom level, saying “therefore, the result of our educational system is simply a demonstration of the efficiency and effectiveness of our teachers”

The governor said the theme for the 2021 World Teachers’ Day, ‘Teachers at the Heart of Education Recovery’ is very apt and instructive, reiterating that his administration would continue to prioritise welfare of teachers.

“As we are all aware, one of the great challenges that confronts the society is to restore the status of the teacher to his traditional place as role model and worthy mentor for our children. It is our duty as government and people to focus on the future of the profession and prepare the young dedicated teachers for the 21st-century’s challenges of preparing our children for the challenges and opportunities in the knowledge society and make them globally competitive.

“We must continue to attract bright-minded young teachers to the teaching profession so that we will not miss the young creative minds in order to their becoming great educators.

“Today, it is our joy that the teaching profession has been given a lift in our dear state. Our teachers are professionals; and our administration has never hesitated to treat them as such. We have resuscitated holding of workshops, seminars and other training programmes for teaching and non-teaching staff of the state public schools, to enhance their efficiency and productivity. We have witnessed a significant feedback of the success of our approaches and programmes in the development of our Education Sector through the recent exploits of our young academic laureates. Ogun State contingent won 11 laurels for our dear State in different categories of awards in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Ogun State Institute of Technology (OGITECH) also won for our dear State the best compliant Institution in Nigeria to the tune of N75 Million from Joint Admissios and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

“I must also mention that I was bestowed with awards as the best Education friendly Governor by All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) in the South-West and Best Governor in Educational Sector by the National Parents Teachers Association. All these give me an assurance that our Administration must be doing something right, even as I acknowledge that we are yet to attain our desired position, but it is gratifying that we are making steady progress. This achievement is a further confirmation of the status of our dear State not only as Education capital of Nigeria, but, in fact, as the intellectual melting-pot in Nigeria. Education remains one of the biggest industries in Ogun State. Indeed, one of the proud legacies bequeathed to us by the founding fathers of our dear State. The best we can do is to ensure that we sustain this proud legacy. But in all this, the role of teachers remains critical.

“We will continue to do all that we can to ensure that our teachers have the ambience to perform their divine role towards the development of our dear State in particular, and humanity, in general. For over two years and four months now, the Education Sub-sector of the State has received serious attention by our Administration. Our approach is multi-dimensional to include infrastructural development; human capital development; provision of conducive environment, amongst others”. Abiodun pointed out.