The State Commissioner for Primary Education, Chief Rose Ezewu has described Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s landmark approval for the Elevation of primary school teachers to Grade Level 17 as a major boost to the Teaching profession at the state’s basic Education sector.
Speaking on Wednesday shortly after the Joint Allocation Committee, JAC, meeting held in Asaba, the commissioner said the Governor’s approval had renewed the confidence of primary school teachers and demonstrated the Administration’s commitment to improving their welfare.
Chief Ezewu noted that the decision would encourage more qualified professionals to seek employment in public primary schools, as teachers would no longer see their career progression ending at Grade Level 14.
The Primary Education Commissioner expressed appreciation to Governor Oborevwori for fulfilling a long-standing aspiration of primary school teachers in the state.
She noted that the promotion would significantly improve teaching and learning in public primary schools by boosting teachers’ morale and strengthening their commitment to duty.
The commissioner urged Graduate teachers in primary schools to justify the confidence reposed in them by the Governor through improved performance in their teaching profession.
Speaking, the Commissioner for the Directorate of Local Government Affairs, Hon. Kelly Penawou commended Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for his administration’s support for local Governments in the state, saying that ongoing reforms had significantly improved the financial capacity of councils to pay salaries promptly and execute developmental projects.
He noted that many local Government chairmen were now delivering roads, buildings and other infrastructure across their councils, attributing the achievements to reforms introduced from the Federal Government down to the state level which, he said, have enhanced funding and strengthened grassroots Governance.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Delta State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Hon. Samuel Mariere said the career progression of Graduate teachers in primary school by the Governor was aimed at strengthening the state’s basic education sector and enhancing the quality of teaching in public primary schools.
Hon. Mariere explained that the National Certificate in Education (NCE) had traditionally been the minimum qualification for primary school teachers noting, however, that the need to improve learning outcomes made it necessary to encourage the recruitment and retention of graduate teachers, who will now enjoy career progression up to Grade Level 17 instead of the previous ceiling of Grade Level 14.
He disclosed that the Governor’s decision on the career progression received the endorsement of the Joint Allocation Committee (JAC), whose approval, according to him, was required because primary school teachers are paid from local Government funds.
Hon. Mariere commended the local Government chairmen for unanimously ratifying the governor’s decision, describing it as a demonstration of their shared commitment to educational development in Delta State.
In their separate remarks, the Delta State Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Chief Isaiah Esiovwa who is also the Chairman of Okpe Local Government Council, the NUT Chairman in the state, Comrade Poubeni Dickson and the Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Hon. Joseph Otirhue applauded Governor Oborevwori for the landmark decision and the local government chairmen for unanimously ratifying the career progression.
They expressed confidence that the initiative would ultimately translate into better teaching standards and improved learning outcomes for pupils in Delta State’s public primary schools.