BENIN CITY: Edo State governor Mr. Godwin Obaseki has assured of his administration’s determination to look into the challenges facing education at both the primary, secondary and tertiary institutions respectively.
He made this known while receiving Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), led by its Chairman Comrade Dr. Bridget Asemota during a courtesy visit to Edo State Government House yesterday.
Obaseki said his administration would not leave any stone unturned in turning the fortunes of the state around in ensuring that priority attention was given to all facets of education especially basic and technical/vocational education urging the ASUSS Executive members not to be deterred of all the academic challenges as enumerated, adding that government would organize before the end of July a workshop on secondary education to come up with a policy framework aimed at knowing what the problems are and how to overcome them.
In her remarks, Chairman of ASUSS, Comrade, Dr.(Mrs) B.O Asemota commended the governor for his outstanding contribution in helping the immediate past administration under the leadership of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to succeed.
She said the association had earlier forwarded a memorandum to the state government on the security challenges confronting secondary schools in the state and made recommendations.
Asemota enumerated some of the challenges confronting secondary education which include the dearth of teachers in the secondary schools system, training and retraining of teachers, subvention/exam malpractice, promotion, reward for outstanding performance and certificate of occupancy(c of o).
She said the association was determined in ensuring that teachers play their role in contribution to the state government’s agenda to promote and develop education at all levels.
In a related development Governor Godwin Obaseki receiving members of All Nigerian Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) said his administration pay almost 30 billion a year to government works with the chunk going for the payment of teachers’ salaries.
He said the state government hired people into the teaching profession but many of them are not actually teaching. He said some of these teachers are posted and they never get to their location of posting.
Obaseki said the challenges facing ASUSS are same challenges facing ANCOPSS saying his administration will join hands with the both bodies to find a lasting solution to the issues. “We are not going to leave you; we will solve the problems and challenges facing the education section. We must get it right in Edo State.
ANCOPSS delegation on the courtesy visit was led by the president of the body Sir Obokhai Moses.
