By Nelson Egware
As the World celebrated World Teachers’ Day on Saturday, 12 teachers in Delta received cars and cash rewards for outstanding performance in their duties.
The state governor, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, announced the rewards at a Dinner and Awards night organised by Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education in conjunction with Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) for teachers in the state, in Asaba.
Recipients of the awards were principals, head teachers and classroom teachers at primary and secondary school levels, who emerged from a selection process.
Okowa charged teachers not to only teach but develop the attitude and moral traits of their pupils.
“I want to congratulate the awardees and to let them know that the reward of teachers is not only in heaven.
“This type of recognition will touch the hearts of our teachers and make them to work harder in the development of our children.
“The teachers, just like parents, play an important role in the development and upbringing of the child.
“We need to continue to give care to our children and guide them aright because it is at this foundational level that we can mould their character.
“We need to get the moral development of the children aright at this level, so that it will be well with our nation.” he said.
The governor urged the awardees to redouble their commitment to the upbringing of the pupils, reminding them that “teaching is a passion that genuinely flows from the heart”.
He commended Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education for organising the event and NUT for its tremendous support and partnership in improving the education sector in the state.
Earlier, Mr Patrick Ukah, Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, had in his speech, said that the awardees were selected from a process that involved over 49,000 teachers and students in 470 public secondary schools and 1,126 primary schools in the state.
He congratulated the awardees and said that the assessment was done and vetted by a team of academics drawn from various tertiary institutions in the country.
The awardees are Messrs Asanuvwe Elizabeth, Owumi Onome, Omotie Phoebe(Best Primary School Teachers); Oyemike Andrew, Ogwara Gabriel, Esiedafe Doris (Best Head Teacher); Imarah Georgina, Eseimokumoh Charles, Ikeh Bridget ( Best Secondary school Teacher); and Ominiabohs Adeline, Adiri Jonathan, Okolafor Fidelis (Best Principal).
