Ekiti State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Dr. Olabimpe Aderiye has charged Public Secondary Schools Principals and Vice Principals to carry themselves as role models for their students and lay good examples to guarantee a secure future for youths in the State and the nation at large.
Dr. Aderiye gave the charge in Ado Ekiti while declaring open a one-day training program for Principals and Vice Principals of public secondary schools in the State, organized by the State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) in collaboration with a Lagos-based retired banker and philanthropist from Ilupeju Ekiti, Chief Esan Ogunleye.
Stressing that apart from primarily imparting knowledge on students, Aderiye noted that other teachers and pupils also watch and emulate the example the school heads set in their day to day activities.
She also emphasized the importance of making themselves ICT compliant, stressing that the world has gone digital and everybody must develop themselves to avoid stagnation.
Reiterating the commitment of the Kayode Fayemi-led administration to the training and retraining of teachers in the State towards achieving the goal of ensuring a sustainable development of the education sector in the State, the Education Commissioner said government would continue to partner interested individuals and corporate organizations to train and retrain teachers in the State.
Aderiye however stressed the need for teachers in the State to justify the huge investment on them by living up to their responsibilities, adding that achieving the desired results depends largely on the cooperation and support of all stakeholders for efforts of government to move the education sector forward.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Chairman of TESCOM, Hon. Babatunde Abegunde expressed gratitude to the co-sponsor of the training program, Chief Esan Ogunleye for his donation towards the success of the programme.
Abegunde explained that in spite of the prevailing global economic crunch and the dwindling allocation from the Federation account, the State Government did not relent from its focus of ensuring that school teachers in the State remain well-grounded and operate in conducive environment for teaching and learning.
He highlighted efforts of the present administration to improve the lot of teachers to include payment of running grants, adding that the State is, in fact, far ahead of its counterparts in the South West on the issue of welfare of teachers.
Abegunde however stressed that the State would expect higher productivity from participants at the end of the exercise, noting that the programme was a sort of a “turn around mechanism” and prepare schools in the State ahead of the new session.
In his remarks, the sponsor of the training programme, Chief Esan Ogunleye who described himself as a friend of the state government, said he would continue to support the efforts of the State government to develop the education sector in the State.Chief Ogunleye also solicited the support of well-to-do individualsand corporate organization for efforts to improve the education sector in the State.
Responding, the Principal of Doherty Memorial Grammar School, Ijero Ekiti, Mr. Victor Amele commended the State Government for providing an enabling environment for the capacity building programme.
Describing the seminar as apt and educative, Mr. Amele pledged on behalf of his colleagues to effectively utilize knowledge gained to enhance  performance at their work places.
Packaged by Emmanuel Adeniran
