WORLD TEACHERS DAY: Isiaka felicitates with Ogun teachers, laments neglect.
The gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last election in Ogun state, Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, has felicitated with teachers in the state on the occasion of this year’s World Teachers Day. In a statement released in Abeokuta the Ogun state capital on Sunday, Isiaka commended teachers for the huge efforts and sacrifice they make in imparting knowledge to the children of today as they become the leaders of tomorrow.
The investment banker and public-private-partnership consultant, praised the teachers for the vital contributions they have been making towards educational development. In his words, Isiaka said, “As the world marks the Teacher’s Day today, I join to celebrate them not just for the good work they do in building the leaders of successive generations but much more for the great sacrifice they make in achieving this objective despite the prevalent harsh working conditions in this clime”.
Isiaka particularly praised the teachers of the state, describing them as patriots, deserving more than they usually get. He continued, “For our teachers in Ogun state, they are patriots who deserve more than they get at any time. All of us are products of these people and when I remember their efforts and sacrifices and relate it to their outcry and the neglect they experience, one feels a sense of duty to highlight the need for teachers to be given their pride of place”.
“Strong societies depend on well-educated citizens and well-trained workforce; and this can only happen if the government is sincere enough and invest heavily in recruiting, supporting, training and empowering teachers. At the moment, a lot of our teachers are undervalued and disempowered. Unmotivated teachers will constantly churn out poor students and I think that is not good for us either now or in the future”
While berating the Ogun state government for the abject neglect of not just teachers but the education sector, he said further, “The experience in our state today is that of waste, neglect and insincerity. Educational infrastructure is in decay, teachers are owed months of emoluments, the schools lack basic equipments and what the students were promised as free education is now a ruse. This neglect is happening because the government prefers to spend monies on self-aggrandizing projects at the expense of the teachers and our children’s future”.
Isiaka, who is currently challenging the victory of Governor Ibikunle Amosun at the elections petitions tribunal, promised to substantially enhance the welfare of teachers if he successfully reclaims his mandate. He said, “Teachers should be empowered through provision of decent working conditions, standard infrastructure and equipments, professional autonomy and academic freedom; such that they can also educate a new generation of children who, in turn, will carry foward our aspiration to build a better Ogun state that has a future which is guaranteed”.
The World Teachers Day holds every year on October 5, to celebrate teachers and the central role they play in providing children with quality education.
