Sanwo-Olu boosts teachers’ morale with 13 cars for outstanding performance

The Commissioner for Education, Lagos State Mrs Folasade Adefisayo (3rd from left) the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Abosede Adelaja(2nd from left) Mrs Lai Koiki, Chairperson, Nomination Committee (2nd from right) Mrs Olufunke Fowler-Amba, Member Nomination Committee (left) Mr Olumide Sogunle, Director Public Affairs, Ministry of Information and Strategy (right) at the Media Briefing on the Lagos State Annual Education Merit Award held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Center, Alausa, Ikeja

TRACKING_____Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has approved the award of car gifts to 13 outstanding school teachers and administrators in public schools across the state.

The 13 teachers to be honoured were among 23 semi-finalists selected from over 3,000 applications who applied for the State’s Merit Award selection process captured under the State’s Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, B.O.S Education Transformation Plan 2020.

The state Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, stated this on Thursday, at a media briefing at Alausa, Ikeja, on the forthcoming Lagos State Annual Education Merit Award, slated for March 30, 2021.

Adefisayo stated that the recipients have been selected from public Primary, Junior Secondary and Senior Secondary Schools as well as Technical Colleges in the state.

She disclosed that while 13 of the 23 semi-finalists will be awarded cars, others will be honoured with other consolation prizes.

The commissioner stated that the effort was borne out of the importance of giving teachers a sense of worth and encourage them to commit more to the profession.

Adefisayo explained that the selection of the awardees followed very stringent processes of applicants who are public school teachers and screened by seasoned educationists, without interference from the State’s Ministry of Education under which the programme is placed.

According to her, the prize award ceremony, slated for Tuesday next week, will encourage the upcoming generation to take pride in choice in the teaching profession for a career.

Chairman of the Nomination Committee and the Chairman, Association of Private Educators in Nigeria (APEN), Mrs Lai Koiki, commented that records of experience during the screening processes revealed that contrary to popular sentiment against public school teachers, it was discovered that there were capable and competent professionals in public schools.

She mentioned that the over 3,000 applicants were screened through online processes till the stage that led to the selection of the 23 semi-finalists who appeared for physical interviews.

According to her, “the best of the best that applied would be awarded 13 cars”, disclosing that all the 23 semi-finalists will be enrolled for a retreat in five-star hotels to enjoy all the luxuries while they would be trained to encourage them with the sense of dignity.

She remarked that the effort will go a long way in building the confidence of teachers and give a sense of prestige to teachers.