BY JOEL GRANDBALL
GOVERNOR Sheriff Oborevwori has assured teachers of his administration’s commitment to their welfare, just as he said that he will not relent in supporting the educational system in Delta State
The Governor gave this assurance in Ughelli during the 9th Delegates Quadrennial Conference/Election of the Delta State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, (NUT), held in Ughelli.
Represented by the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mrs Rose Ezewu, Oborevwori held that educators were true nation builders and their motivation remained the panacea for improving educational standards.
According to him, teachers were the heart of national development ,who shape the future of imparting knowledge, values and skills to the next generation.
“My government values your roles and is committed to your welfare and the growth of education in Delta State, and the theme of the conference fits well with our MORE Agenda.”
“We are aware that motivated teachers help students to learn better in our society, and that is why we have employed over 2,000 teachers, improved school buildings, ensured regular promotions and made working conditions better.”
“I encourage you to keep learning and upgrading your skill to meet the needs of today’s fast changing world. We will keep supporting innovation, research and entrepreneurship to prepare our students for the future.”
Earlier, the State Chairman of NUT, Comrade Titus Okotie underscored the importance of teachers’ development for a vibrant educational sector.
He said: “The theme of this conference: ‘Motivation of Teachers: A Panacea For Improving Educational Standards’ was carefully selected to reflect the need to motivate teachers for effective service delivery.
“The standard of educational system can never improve without motivating teachers who remain the major drivers of the system.
“I welcome the Guest Speaker, Dr. Hilary Odor of the University of Delta (UNIDEL), Agbor. As an erudite scholar and a seasoned teacher, I hope that your recommendations at the end of the presentation would serve as a working document for the state government under Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, on how best to motivate our teachers for the realization of his administration’s MORE Agenda.
‘‘With utmost humility and a deep sense of gratitude to the teeming teachers of Delta State for the great privilege of a second term in office as chairman of our union, permit me to use this unique opportunity to highlight some modest achievements of the State Wing during these years, particularly in my second tenure, which cuts across the welfare of professional teachers and staff of the Union.
‘‘One of my achievements as the state chairman of the NUT during my second tenure in office is the tenure elongation of teachers and staff to 65 years of age and 40 years of service by the late president, Muhammadu Buhari and its implementation by the Sen Ifeanyi Okowa administration.
“I am pleased to inform conference-in-session that all our professional colleagues in the ICE across the state are now bonafide members of the NUT,’’ he said.
Okotie disclosed that teachers in the state, under his leadership, gave the state Secretariat of NUT a face-lift with some state-of-the-art facilities, even as he charged the in-coming executive to ‘‘improve on what we have been able to put on ground.’’
