The Education District 111 comprising Epe, Eti-Osa, Ibeju-Lekki and the Lagos Island zones has rewarded teachers, cleaners and drivers for hard work.
Many smiled home with gifts ranging from deep freezers, fridges, fans, television sets and grinding machines, among others.
The award categories include best senior school, best junior school, best senior student, best junior student, best senior school principal, best junior school principal, best senior school vice-principal, best junior school vice-principal, best senior school teacher, best junior school teacher, best non-teaching staff, senior category, best non-teaching staff, junior category, best cleaner category, best security guard category, best district driver, tutor- general/permanent secretary special award for inclusive school, best student, senior school, tutor-general/permanent secretary special award for inclusive school best student junior school, among others.
Member representing Epe Constituency in the House of Representatives, who was an award recipient, Wale Raji, said the award was in appreciation of his contribution to education in the district.
The House member donated text books to various secondary schools in the district, preparatory to the last West African Examinations Council.
He also organised an 8-week intensive coaching classes for students that sat for the last West African Examinations.
Raji promised he would use his position as a member representing the constituency to give special support to the outstanding students in the district in terms of scholarship/bursary so as to serve as an encouragement to others, adding that the details will be unveiled soon.
While commending the head of the district, including the tutor-general, teachers, principals, management and members of staff for work well did which, according to him, had reflected in the performance of the students. He, however, encouraged them to do more.
“I want to encourage other districts to emulate the good work the education district 111 is doing in the state”, he added.
According to him, it is not that schools in the rural areas lacked good teachers, government had not recruited teachers to the communities, adding that people posted to the rural areas do not want to remain there, and those that were recruited and posted to the rural areas do find their way out, but package of incentives can keep them there at least for a long time.
The Permanent Secretary, Teachers’ Establishment and Pensions Office, Mrs. Olatokunbo Adeleye, who spoke on behalf of the Deputy Governor, Lagos State, Dr. Idiat Adebule, said apart from good welfare packages given to teachers, prompt payment of salaries, promotion rewards, training and retraining of members of staff and management for competency, the state government also recognised good service delivery of some of the teachers by showcasing their efforts for others to emulate.
She re-assured of government’s commitment to continue to recognise and appreciate the teachers’ hard work and showcase their motivations to do more for the people.
Also speaking, Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary of the district, Margret Solarin admitted the district had recorded greater performance particularly in the result of examinations, including the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), and the junior school examinations.
“We are recording excellence, the district is moving higher. That’s why I believe that these teachers, principals, these non-teaching staff and students should be recognised and that’s what we are doing here today,” she said.
Solarin, who spoke during the Annual Merit Awards and Honours Ceremony with the theme: “Soaring Higher in Excellent Performance” further stated that this year’s award was outstanding because the district had produced the student that won the ‘Spelling B’ competition, who according to her will become a one-day governor at a particular date to be fixed,” she said.
She said: “We are recognising hardworking officers, and we reward them accordingly because it’s good to encourage and reward them when they do put in their best good, it’s a sort of motivation to our teachers, principals, students even cleaners and drivers, the tutor general said.
“When you do your work diligently and honestly, you will be rewarded, you would be recognised one day, and that’s what we are doing to let others learn from these ones and do more; believing that one day we will be recognised.
“The reward for hard work is more work. There’s nothing bad in recognising one if one does one’s work diligently. ‘Don’t relent, continue to impact positively on the lives of the students’.”
Mrs. Atobatela Zainab from King Ado Senior High School, who teaches English language and Literature in English, received the award as the third best teacher in senior school category.
“This is just to show that my efforts in the little corner of the world are being appreciated. I feel glad. I feel happy,”she said.
