Stakeholders in the education sector, on Tuesday, commended the Ayodele Fayose-led administration in Ekiti State for its policies that aided the state to come first in this year’s senior secondary school examinations conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO).
The various groups comprised Association of Nigerian Conference of Secondary School Principals, a teachers’ pressure group, The Positive Minds, Parent-Teacher Association, among others.
They also commended the governor for fully implementing the recommendations of last year’s Education Summit, held in the state.
This is just as Governor Fayose promised that Core Subject Allowance would be paid next month.
He promised that the Teachers Day would be marked with the giving of brand new cars to best teachers in both primary and secondary school levels.
Governor Fayose dedicated the feat to all stakeholders in the sector, especially the teachers.
“We would have got to this level earlier than now.
“During my first term in office, we moved from 35th position in WAEC and NECO to eighth and seventh and we were on the verge of coming tops before I was removed from office.
“We thank God that we have got to this great height now.
“I am assuring all that we won’t relent and we will maintain the standard. We are going to come first in WAEC as well.
The governor also expressed delight that the School of Nursing and the School of Midwifery of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital recorded 100 per cent success in their qualifying examinations.
The Ekiti State chairman of ANCOPPS, Mr Biodun Omotosho, said the governor’s commitment to improving the sector really paid off.
“We have a teacher-friendly governor and the NECO feat is a reflection of all the efforts of His Excellency since he assumed office.
“We had an Education Summit last year and all the recommendations were made by us stakeholders, and were fully implemented.
“Intervention programmes such as:
– giving grants to schools,
– provision of laboratory equipment,
– introduction of Mock Examination for final year students,
– extra classes even on Saturdays
… were introduced and we were also given a compendium of past examinations for students to go through.
“Before Governor Fayose came back, there was policy mistrust between teachers and the government.
“We were not sure of whether our jobs would be taken from us, but you came to office and gave us hope and rest of mind.
“Today, we are seen as partners not as mere employees that could be thrown away like refuse,” he said.
The Chairman of the Education Summit, who is also the Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti, Oba Ademola Ajakaiye, said Governor Fayose had helped in revamping the sector.
“I feel so happy and encouraged that the efforts of the governor and all of us have impacted positively on our students,” he said.
The Chairman of Ekiti State Council of Obas, the Ologotun of Ogotun-Ekiti, Oba Oladapo Oyebade, said the governor had proven to the world what it takes to lead and achieve positive results.
The spokesman for Education Secretaries, Mr Sunday Agunbiade, said the governor was also bold enough to implement some policies that many people might misconstrued initially.
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