EKITI State governor, Biodun Oyebanji has flagged off distribution of letters of appointment to 1,300 newly recruited primary school teachers in the state, with a charge to them to be innovative and embrace modern techniques and approach in imparting knowledge.
Governor Oyebanji, who restated his administration’s zero tolerance for examination malpractices, urged the newly recruited teachers to display patriotic commitment, high level of integrity and professional diligence to their duties.
He said: “As a teacher for this millennium, you are to be creative, loving, connected, approachable, adaptive, talented and progressive. Improvisation, problem-solving skills, innovation and real-life interactions are more effective than the tiring lesson-notes, which are repetitive and ineffective regurgitations.
“I therefore urge you to be the teacher for this age and the game-changing one for the future.
“I expect you to adopt this in your pedagogical delivery and to continue to scout for platforms that provide online training on teaching techniques and modern approach to learning.
“You are expected to be part of our dream-team for the revolutionalisation of the school environment to be a place of fun and learning and not a dreaded house of horror.”
Governor Oyebanji, who noted that over 11,000 applicants applied for the job from which 1,300 were picked based on performances at the examination and interviews conducted, revealed that his government had concluded plans to introduce practical agriculture and entrepreneurial skills as part of school curricula in the state.
He added that each of the 40 beneficiaries of the ‘Agriculture in Schools Programme’ would receive direct grants ranging from N545,786.094 to N874,459.25 for the take off.
“Today’s event is yet another testimony in our quest to reposition basic education in the state, which is in line with our campaign promises to the people, especially in the rural areas, many of which have shortage of teachers as a result of retirements and other issues,” the governor said.
Oyebanji disclosed that his government had paid N1.2 billion as matching grants for the State Universal Basic Education Board/Universal Basic Education Commission intervention funds to enable public primary and junior secondary schools in the state to continue to enjoy government’s assistance in the areas of infrastructure and training of teachers.
Earlier, the chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Professor Femi Akinwumi, commended Governor Oyebanji for approving the appointment to fill the vacant position in the education industry.
He stated that his intervention in the sector had placed Ekiti in the forefront of states that have continued to make remarkable improvements on the standard of education.
Akinwumi called on the newly appointed teachers to reciprocate the government gestures by being diligent in their duties and contributing their quota to the growth and development of basic education in the state.
