Damola Kola-Dare
THREE teachers in Lagos State – Elusaki Iyabo, Ikuseyidunmi Pius and Adeniyi Oluwasegun – have won this year’s President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Award (PTSEA).
A statement yesterday by the Media Coordinator in the state Ministry of Education, Mr Kayode Sutton, announced this in Lagos.
According to the statement, the event held at the Eagle Square in Abuja.
The awards were given to the teachers and schools for their exemplary performance in the Education sector in commemoration of the World Teachers’ Day.
Addressing teachers during this year’s event at the Sports Complex of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Education Commissioner Mrs Folasade Adefisayo said the feat had come at the right time.
“It has come as a reciprocation of the state government’s priority attention to the Education sector.
“As a state, in spite of all odds, we have the dexterity and professionals to attain greater heights in delivering quality education to our future leaders.
“I must commend and appreciate their passion, cooperation and dedication to their jobs as well as commitment to the growth of the sector.
“No society can achieve meaningful development in delivering quality education without placing premium value on its teachers.
“Considering your roles, contributions and importance, our teachers must receive and enjoy the rewards for their labour first here on earth and then later in Heaven,” she said.
Adefisayo assured teachers that the profession would be made more attractive by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who she said had promised to increase budgetary allocation to education.
“He also promised to deploy technology driven template to the Sector, employ more teachers, upscale regular training of teachers, as well as create a conducive teaching and learning environment,” Mrs Adefisayo said.
The commissioner noted that the appropriateness of this year’s theme – Young Teachers, the Future of the Profession, was to take a critical look at the teaching profession from yesterday, today and tomorrow’s perspectives.
“This is for the purpose of repositioning it for optimal performance in this present age that global attention is being shifted from resource-based economy to knowledge-based economy, which is inherent in every man,” she said.
Also, the Dean of the Faculty of Education at the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye in Ogun State, Professor Taiwo Edun, has said teaching is unattractive to young people due to its poor remuneration.
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Edun spoke at the weekend during the World Teachers’ Day celebration with the theme: Young Teachers, the Future of the Profession, at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Sports Centre in Akoka, Yaba.
In his lecture, titled: Making the Teaching Profession Attractive to Nigerian Youths: Issues and Challenges, the don noted that young Nigerians want the easiest and shortest route to fame and success.
According to him, youths crave a profession that offers recognition and respect, hence, they shun teaching.
He said: “Nigeria youths pursue careers and programmes that promise success and fame. They want a profession that is well recognised and respected. They want their clients to appreciate their expertise and opinion.”
Edun noted that poor funding is a major challenge facing teaching, making it less attractive to youths.
He added: “The fallout of the abysmally poor budgetary allocation to education is the decayed infrastructure, poor working environment and poor salary for teachers, which makes the industry unattractive to young people.”
Lagos State Education Commissioner Mrs Afolashade Adefisayo said no society can develop if teachers are not valued.
Commissioner assured teachers that the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration was committed to the cause of education, hence the plan by the governor to increase the budgetary allocation and empower teachers.
She said: “One of the things being considered by Governor Sanwo-Olu for the teachers is employing technology-driven template to drive the sector, creating an environment conducive for teaching and learning as well as regular training for teachers to be equipped with requisite skills for optimal performance and compliance with the emerging economy in the state.”
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