Yesterday, there were wild jubilation in Abia State as Governor Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, made three Abia Teachers proud owners of Toyota Cars as part of activities marking World Teachers’ Day.
Speaking during the event held at Ibeku High School, Umuahia, where he handed over the three Toyota Cars Won through a lucky dip by children, Governor Ikpeazu lauded Abia teachers for their diligence and steadfastness that has made Abia State to maintain the feat of producing the best students in WAEC in the last four years.
Governor Ikpeazu assured Abia teachers that Government will always make teachers’ welfare a priority through regular payment of salaries, allowances, training and retraining of Abia teachers to be abreast with global trend.
The Governor represented by his Deputy, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, further said Government has received the report of the Committee on the Disarticulation Of Junior Secondary Schools From Secondary Education Management Board To Abia State Universal Basic Education Board and will implement their recommendations as well as make the teaching profession attractive as a way of encouraging young people to go into and remain in the teaching profession by training and retraining teachers in line with global trend.
Governor Ikpeazu also directed the Ministry Of Education to do a thorough investigation before approving that schools be given to original owners pointing out that many schools already handed over which are not doing well will be retrieved by Government to maintain the State leading position in the uplifting the standard of education.
In her address,the Permanent Secretary, Ministry Of Education, Mrs Joyce Chizuru Uchendu, who stressed the importance of all round quality education in the development of any nation,urged teachers not to relent in ensuring that students are trained to be found worthy in learning and character and reassured them of Governor Ikpeazu’s commitment to ensure that teachers in the State are well taken care of as way of encouraging them to do more in impacting academic knowledge and morals to pupils and students in our schools.
In their separate speeches, the National President Of Nigeria Union Of Teachers represented by Mr Macs Nnaji and the State Chairman Of NUT, Comrade Kizito Kalu noted that the theme of the 2019 World Teachers Day, (Young Teachers, The Future Of The Profession) seeks to draw the attention of all to the shortage of teachers, young teachers to replace those that will be retiring and called for a policy redirection that will make the teaching profession attractive in order to attain the Sustainable Development Goal 4(SDG4) in the year 2030 and drew the attention of Federal and State Government to challenges facing teachers such as irregular payment of salaries, allowances and other welfare packages and pledged that they will continue to contribute in uplifting the standard of education as the bedrock of the development of any nation.
The ceremony featured march-past by teachers from the 17 LGAs of the State and raffle draw for the three Toyota cars donated by Governor Ikpeazu for teachers in the three Senatorial Zones won by three female teachers,viz Ugochukwu Nwankwo from Ikwuano for Abia Central, Okelua James Aba North for Abia South and Okwara Uwaoma for Abia North zone.
