The federal government has reiterated its commitment to the promotion of teacher’ welfare even as it rewarded deserving teachers and school administrators at the just concluded 2013 edition of the President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Award (PTSEA).
The Supervising Minister of Education, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, in his speech at the combined awards presentation ceremony for the president’s teachers and school excellence award and ministerial annual merit award held on thursday, 6th March, 2014 in Abuja, said that the two initiatives are in consonant with the present administration’s on-going transformation agenda to motivate teachers and school administrators towards improving productivity and efficiency in the education system.
Stressing the relevance of motivation to productivity, the minister said that the aims of the rewards were to recognize deserving public school teachers and administrators for their hard work and achievement in their field of endeavors institutionalize productivity consciousness and excellence, and to identify them for excellence in the delivery of quality education in the country.
The Minister, who was represented by the permanent secretary, Dr. MacJohn Nwaobiala, reiterated the federal government’s commitment to the welfare of teachers, saying that it will continue to provide the right environment and policy guide to the states in ensuring that teachers are well equipped to fit into the 21st Century technology-driven work place.
“We want to ensure that teachers are properly remunerated for their services and above all that they are given the right of place as custodian of future generation of the nation.”
He therefore called on the awardees, teachers and school administrators in general, to reciprocate Federal Government’s gesture by putting in their very best to the service of the nation.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, represented by the Director of Human Resources Management, Dr. Bello Umar said that the two rewards were instituted as part of Federal Government’s reform initiatives in the education sector.
He said that the overriding objectives are to recognize and reward hard work and selfless service of deserving officers, school administrators and teachers.