Our children’s future in your hands, Fayemi tells Ekiti teachers

The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, on Monday told the newly recruited teachers in the state to brace up for the challenges of molding a total child.

He charged them to always display a commitment to diligence, excellence, and integrity in molding a total child both in academic and moral excellence.

Dr Fayemi spoke while flagging off a three- day induction programme for newly recruited secondary school teachers in the state on Monday.

About 600 newly recruited teachers participated in the exercise which took place at St Louis Grammar School, Ikere Ekiti.

They were part of the successful candidates in the recruitment exercise by the state’s Teaching Service Commission earlier in the year as well as those who did conversion and transfer of service from other cadres to the teaching profession.

Dr Fayemi said the process of selecting applicants was transparent, competitive, and merit-based regardless of background, gender, religion, political colouration, and in some cases the state of origin.

The Governor told the new teachers that, “our children are our future, they are our tomorrow and they are now in your hands. Whatever you make out of them is what tomorrow will be for our Nation. The input will determine the output, hence the need for you to make a positive impact on the lives of the children.

“I plead with you to build a total child. You should place a premium not only on academics but also on morals. Let every child that passes through you come out better in learning and sound character.”

The Governor stressed that the quest to build not only the best teachers but also produce the best schools and best students in every subject can only be achieved with the cooperation and commitment of all stakeholders in the education sector

Dr Fayemi stated that the induction was the first of its kind in the last ten years in the State, adding that his administration was committed to the training and retraining of workers in the state.

He said; “What we are witnessing today is a further demonstration of the second segment of the knowledge economy pillar which is human capital development.

“To demonstrate our commitment to capacity development of all sectors in the public service, our administration established the Office of Capacity Development and Service reforms to cater to the requirements of civil servants in improving their capacity for efficient service delivery.

“I, therefore, want you to note that induction is a crucial step to welcome you as new teachers into the teaching profession. We will also continue to equip the old teachers with a new teaching method for quality and effective teaching and learning.

“I want to equally urge you to be teachers and not cheaters, be a role model. If you are good, society will be good but if you are bad, society will be bad. I want to assure you that we will supervise you to ensure that you deliver nothing but the best.”

Earlier, the Chairman Ekiti State Teaching Service Commission, Babatunde Abegunde disclosed that the number of newly appointed teachers made a 9 percent increase in the current stock of teachers in the State and 3% of the total applicants for the teaching job.

He commended the Governor for not only raising the quality and standard of teaching but for demonstrating a strong quest to restoring education values in the state.

The induction ceremony had in attendance the Head of Service, Mrs Peju Babafemi, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Dr (Mrs) Adebimpe Aderiye, Special Adviser on Basic and Secondary Education, Professor Francisca Aladejana, Tutor General for Ekiti South, Mrs Ojo Olufunke Rhoda and other top government functionaries.