Gov. Aregbesola Approves Automatic Conversion of Teachers As Education Officers

The State Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has approved the automatic conversion of qualified graduate teachers as Education Officers and National Certificate of Education as Assistant Education officers in public schools across the state.

This was disclosed today by the State’s Head of Service, Dr Olowogboyega Oyebade while addressing teachers at Ayedaade High School, Ikire and ADC High School, Apomu both in Osun West Education District.

With this new policy, there is one harmonized service which means movement from the teaching service to the local government service and the state civil service have now been harmonized and unified hence movement from one service to another is now possible.

The Head of Service also disclosed that he has secured the approval of Mr. Governor and backdated the promotion of a teacher who retired last week Friday to that of a permanent secretary/tutor general.

He therefore charged teachers in the state to reciprocate this kind gesture of the State Governor by redoubling their efforts and ensure that their students pass their external examinations so that they can now begin to have 100% in their external examinations and see teachers as their mentors and role models who have positively impacted on their lives.

He also called on teachers to see students as service to humanity and God’s assignment to them to mould and positively affect their lives. He then charged them to use less of corporal punishment in enforcing discipline and let the schools to be attractive and child friendly.

The Head of Service also disclosed that special allowances would be paid to teachers teaching in rural schools while it would  be compulsory for teachers to have rural posting and experience in the state while  teachers would be moved from urban to rural and from  rural to urban  schools as a policy.

The Head of Service taught English Language at both Ayedaade High School, Ikire and also at ADC High School, Apomu, the Permanent Secretary/Tutor General for Osun Central Education District, Mr Kola Obisesan taught Variation as a topic in the two schools while the Permanent secretary/Tutor General for Osun West Education District, Mrs. Grace Ajiboye taught formal and informal letter writing in English Language to Class 3 students in the two schools.

Dr Olowogboyega Oyebade then adjudged teachers in the state as the best of workers as they would not only review their daily teaching assignments but also prepare teaching notes for the following day. He then appealed to the teachers to consider the huge government expenditure on education by adding value to the students and make them to become successful future leaders.

The visibly happy Permanent Secretary/ Tutor General for Osun West Education District, Mrs Grace Ajiboye observed that the teaching campaign is a step in the right direction, which according to her will boost the quality of education in the state.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Irewole Local Government Education Authority, Mr Remi Babayode pointed out that the usage of volunteer teachers to boost quality of education in the state is long overdue.

While appreciating the wisdom behind the current education drive, the veteran teacher, who was a 1962 alumnus of Ayedaade Grammar School and who was a principal in that school for 19 years, expressed the hope that the initiative would deliver maximum results.