Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has honoured teachers and students in the state for maintaining first positions in WAEC, local and international competitions in and outside the state.
The Accolades Day which is the first of it’s kind,is meant to serve as a morale booster, and spur up more philanthropy to enable the students and schools in the state attain greater heights.
Speaking at the Micheal Okpara Auditorium Umuahia, venue of the event which also marks the World Education Day,Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in his speech, said it takes the best in terms of humility to commend and recommend those who have done well in the society.
He said the event will not only honour Abia students and teachers but also encourage the teachers for making the best out of the students.
The Governor explained that his administration is committed to creating model schools and school communities across the state which will be designed to have accommodation, E-library, Laboratories and Security in a friendly environment.
He assured that being a teacher in Abia school system would soon become a thing of pride adding that the backlog of salaries for the secondary school teachers would be paid soon.
Governor Ikpeazu who revealed that primary school teachers in the state would soon visit Australia for an exchange programme in the second quarter of the year also noted that Abia would be the first to receive world bank interventions in all aspects of the education system especially technical schools.
“I want to say to us that times are hard, that we have not done everything we need to do or should have done in terms of education. Our strategy is very clear in three terms, capacity building for teachers because a good teacher begets good students, Infrastructural Development because you must match capacity building with state of the art infrastructure which is the only recipe that can give us the kind of product that we desire in the future and encouragement of our teachers”, he said.
He congratulated the teachers and students and prayed them to continue in their capacity.
Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ikechi Mgbeoji further explained that the essence of the event is to honour those who have made the state proud.
He described Governor Ikpeazu as”education friendly”,adding that the state under his watch has witnessed systematic transformation especially in the areas of infrastructures, teacher training,recruitment of teachers, standardized criteria and other policy thrusts borne out of the factual needs of the state.
In her speech, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Rita Okengwu explained that the theme:”Educated Leaders Power Development and Secure the Future”, is aimed at encouraging productivity and strengthen the potential for economic growth and described education as the answer to development of any given society.
Chaiman of the event, who is also the Former Deputy Governor, Acho Nwakanma in his remarks commended the Governor for putting education at the front burner of his administration especially with the provisions of good infrastructure and facilities and advised those who have distinguished themselves in the sector not to relent.
