Posted by By Wale Ajao on
AS part Of the preparations for this year's edition of the annual Bournvita Teachers Award, Cadbury Nigeria Plc recently organised.....
AS part Of the preparations for this year's edition of the annual Bournvita Teachers Award, Cadbury Nigeria Plc recently organised a workshop for teachers in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
Speaking during the workshop Ebonyi Commissioner for Education, Chief Hyginus Nwogu described education as the fulcrum upon which the policies and programmes of Ebonyi State government is anchored. He said free education was introduced by the administration of Governor Sam Egwu in 1999. The aim of this policy was to scuttle all institutional and behavioural impediments to the development of Ebony children.
The idea behind the free education policy was also to give the citizens knowledge to enable them conquer their environment and eke from it basic necessities of life. He asserted education is so important in the state government because the child is the centre piece of Ebonyi State Development initiatives and strategies. He added that to ensure a successful educational policy the Governor Egwu administration has trained a crop of highly committed professional staff that are implementing the policy. Chief Nwogu called on teachers to utilise the resources of the knowledge and experience being offered by this workshop to improve on their skills and competencies in facing the challenges of their chosen career. He expressed indebtedness to Cadbury Nigeria Plc for the award given to the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Chief Mrs Akanu which catapulted her to the exalted position of Commissioner.
Governor Sam Egwu sent a goodwill message to the workshop. He described the Bournvita Teachers Award as a welcome development in the country's educational sub-sector in view of the critical role of Teachers in restoring educational standards.
He said his administration has introduced several welfare packages that will make them to reap their benefits and also to be proud of their profession. It was also to achieve this objective that the state government organised the first Ebonyi Education Summit and entered into agreement with the National Teachers Institute Kaduna to organise series of training programme for teachers Chief Mrs Cecilia Akanu an awardee of 2004 Bournvita Teachers Award in the Secondary School category described Governor Egwu as best education friendly governor with programmes focused on human resources development. She called on teachers to be more dedicated to duty as teachers reward is no longer in heaven.''
Still commending Governor Egwu she said 'in Ebonyi State teachers salaries, allowances and benefits are paid as and when due. Teachers who excel are adequately rewarded She called on teachers to be attentive during the workshop as it is expected that at the end of the workshop the participants would be better equipped with new skills, techniques and methods that would enhance effective teaching and learning in our school system. Cadbury had earlier organised workshop for teachers in Kano and Ijebu-Ode.