By Wilson Adekumola
The Governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji has charged the newly recruited 1,300 primary school teachers to adopt modern approach to teaching with high level of professionalism to transform education sector in the state.
According to Tribune, Oyebanji gave this charge while distributing appointment letters to successful teachers who were appointed due to performance, tasking them to be creative and embrace modern techniques and approach in delivering knowledge.
Governor Oyebanji reassured his administration’s commitment to zero tolerance for examination malpractices, while calling on the newly recruited teachers to exhibit spirit of patrioticism with 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 revolutionalization of the school environment to be a place of fun and learning and not a dreaded house of horror.”
Explaining that over 11,000 applicants applied for the job from which 1,300 were picked based on merit at the examination and interviews conducted, Governor Oyebanji stated plans to introduce practical agriculture and entrepreneurial skills as part of school curricula in the state.
He then stated further 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.
Governor Oyabanji said, “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.”
While noting that the public primary and junior secondary schools teachers would be assisted in the area of infrastructure and training, Oyebanji said his administration had paid N1.2 billion as matching grants for the State Universal Basic Education Board/Universal Basic Education Commission intervention funds.
The Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Professor Femi Akinwumi, had earlier expressed his appreciation to Governor Oyebanji for approving the appointment to fill the vacuum in the education industry.
While stressing that the Governor Oyanaji’s intervention in the sector had improved on the standards of education and placed the state above others, Akinwumi urged the newly recruited teachers not to the let the purpose of their appointment be defeated by showing diligence to their duties and playing their parts to the growth and development of basic education in the state.