Efforts must be geared towards the professional development of teachers for more efficiency and effectiveness.
Ogun State Head of Service (HoS), Mr. Kehinde Onasanya, stated this when the management team of the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), led by its Chairman, Evangelist Olalekan Ifede, paid a felicitation visit to his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, underscoring the need for regular capacity building of teachers who were custodians and forebears of tradition.
Describing teaching as the mother of all professions, Mr. Onasanya lauded the state government for its various interventions in the education sector, including permanent appointment for 2,000 OgunTEACH interns, with another 1000 in the pipeline and renovation of schools, among others, calling on stakeholders in the sector to maintain the infrastructural facilities, as well as the education system at large.
“Ogun is a state of firsts. The trajectory laid down by the forebears is making it to be first in all things. I want to appreciate TESCOM for holding the fort and plaque tightly”, he said.
The HoS further urged the Commission not to take the various academic unions for granted, in terms of consultancy and stability, to help build and strengthen the education system while all teachers should be encouraged to enrol in the Ogun State Health Insurance Scheme of Government for their good health and wellness.
Earlier, Evang. Ifede, who said TESCOM was proud to be associated with the HoS, having served in the Commission as Director of Information for eight years, noted that his capability, capacity, qualification and merit had earned him the current position, promising the agency’s support to make him succeed.
In the same development, Mr. Onasanya has admonished the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), to make training and retraining of members’ top on its list of priorities.
Mr. Onasanya gave the admonition while receiving on a courtesy visit of the executive members of the Union, led by its Chairman, Comrade Felix Agbesanwa, in his Office, noting that the development of future leaders to meet world’s standard it must be entrenched in continuous capacity building or teachers.
The HoS charged the leadership of ASUSS to embark on massive advocacy to encourage all its members to enroll into the health insurance scheme of the government while other issues raised by the body would be attended to.
Earlier, Comrade Agbesanwa appreciated government for prioritising the welfare of its members through various initiatives and programmes, pledging its unreserved loyalty.