Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa reiterates commitment to teachers’ welfare

The Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to the welfare of teachers in the state.

Okowa said this on Thursday at the annual teachers’ award ceremony/dinner held in Asaba.

Okowa who was represented by the state’s Commissioner for Secondary Education, Mrs. Rose Ezeagu, congratulated the 15 awardees, urging them to redouble their commitments to duty.

He said that his administration would continue to give priority attention to the education sector.

Mr. Sunday Onoriode, State Commissioner for Primary Education, said that the Delta Annual Teachers Award was initiated by the administration of Ifeanyi Okowa in recognition of their commitment and dedication to duty.

Onoriode said that 15 successful teachers in the public primary and secondary schools had been screened and selected for the award.

He noted that the selection processes had been painstaking from the local government stage through the Senatorial Zone to the final stage.

“Commissioners for Primary, Secondary and Technical Education as well as other stakeholders in education screened the nominees from where 15 persons emerged,” he said.

Mr. Godwin Edozie, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Education Monitoring in his lecture said the award was an indication of how much the government placed premium on the welfare of teachers.

Edozie described the governor’s gesture to reward teachers that had shown commitment to duty as a laudable initiative.

Mr. Augustine Oghoro, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, said that teachers were critical stakeholders and agents of change in any society ready to develop.

Oghoro said teachers were people professionally trained in teaching methods and also possessed the ability to impact positively on learners.

“The state government saw the need to reward teachers that had continued to distinguish themselves in service delivery,” he said

He urged them to maximise the benefits of the reward for the overall growth of the education system in the state.

Mr. Mike Akpobire, Chairman of Delta State Technical Education Board said that lack of motivation and zeal by teachers was a factor militating against the growth of the education sector.

He said teachers’ award had been used as an instrument to bring the best out of them.

He pledged to redouble commitment to duty, adding that the award would spur him to contribute meaningfully towards impacting knowledge on children.