Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State.
By Elizabeth Osayande
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has reiterated his administration’s commitment to reward excellence service delivery in the Lagos State Post-Primary teaching service, pledging 20 cars to deserving outstanding teachers across the six education districts in the state.
Governor Sanwo-Olu made the pledge during the virtual training of teachers tagged “Eko Educators Webinar Performance Series 3.3”, noting that teachers are key change agents who will be remembered for shaping future generation of leaders.
He went further to advice teachers to embrace technology in improving the quality of teaching, which ultimately makes them great teachers.
Sanwo-Olu said: “This is the era of technology and it is working well for us. Technology has become a very strong tool that we cannot do away with in our everyday lives.
“With technology, we can think locally and act globally,” he said.
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He added that great teachers are always remembered for the lives they shape, deriving satisfaction in their students becoming role models to be proud of.
Also, the Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, emphasised that most critical to the success of any school system is the quality of teaching and learning, which is exhibited in the quality of teachers with a multiplier effect on our children.
Mrs. Adefisayo appreciated Lagos State teachers for their continual self-development in addition to the government efforts.
She commended TESCOM board for the idea of the virtual training, which she said was doing well for the progress of the education sector and Lagos State at large.
She noted that as the pandemic was winding up, teachers are expected to put in their best in bringing up the children who might have gone through different degrees of trauma during the pandemic.
On his part, Chairman, Teaching Service Commission, Mrs. Elizabeth Ariyo, while welcoming Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu during the webinar series, said it was a conscious effort of the Commission in improving teaching styles, optimise the teaching profession, turn around the life of our children, and ultimately, impact on our future.
She noted that the webinar has initiated post-primary school teachers in Lagos State to be prepared and proactive in teaching and learning to meet the challenges of the ‘new normal’.
“The platform will address teachers’ wellness and wellbeing, update them with trending facts abut teaching skill, and has had notable distinguished personalities of interest in the public service and society at large to discuss issues,” she added.
She appreciated the magnanimity of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for approval of the Teachers’ Exit Replacement programme with over 1,000 new appointees, the Retrospective Course approval for over 700 teachers which had lingered since 2013.
Other benefits she thanked the governor for were the digital training of all post-primary schools teachers on Microsoft Teams platform, varying digital virtual trainings exposing our teachers to be digital complaint, various capacity enhancement of teachers in the state and a host of others, which has up scaled and enhanced proper integration of TESCOM in the “new normal”.
While appreciating the governor for his visionary leadership, the Chairman urged teachers and other participants to be attentive and ensure active participation in the course of the session.
The Permanent Secretary, TESCOM, Mrs. Toyin Awoseyi, while applauding the presence of Mr. Governor at the webinar, affirmed that this was an attestation to the priority placed on teachers and the education sector.
The facilitator, Mr. Fela Durotoye, CEO, Gemstone Group, spoke on “The Making of a Great Teacher in the Centre of Excellence,” emphasising the importance of striving to become “great teachers”.
“As important as teachers are, teachers cannot be remembered, but great teachers cannot be forgotten,” he added
