Kunle Adelabu
The Local Government Education Authority (LGEA), Ikorodu Local Government, under the leadership of Alhaji Taiwo Odumbo, scored another first when it successfully organized an orientation/onboarding for the newly employed teachers in Ikorodu.
The ceremony, which was held at Methodist Primary School Hall, Allison Street, Ikorodu Garage, Ikorodu on Monday, witnessed the engagement of the 188 teachers that were recently absorbed into the primary schools in Ikorodu, on the civil service rules, principles of teaching and learning, and career progression.
Alhaji Taiwo Odumbo, Education Secretary, LGEA Ikorodu Local Government, while welcoming the teachers, thanked them for realising that teaching is a noble profession, and that they must be proud of it.
The Education Secretary, who said that education was seen as inferior before, expressed his gladness that the teaching profession has been fully professionalised, and others in science and other professions are now willing to belong.
He emphasised that the teaching profession nurtures souls, builds lives and future for society.
“For the fact that the teaching profession has been professionalised, it gladdens my heart. You have no business going into it if you are not a professional, because we want to nurture more souls, build lives and future.
“If we fail to build the future very well, it will still come back to haunt us, and that is why I am always passionate about good delivery in teaching to achieve excellent outcomes”.
He charged the newly inducted tutors to know that it is their duty to lay a good foundation for the societal future through professional handling of young learners for further education in secondary and tertiary schools.
“Once there is a problem with the foundation, the society is in crisis, and that is the reason we are here to let us know that over 25,000 applied to be teachers under the last recruitment exercise, but less than 3000 were employed among which you are fortunate to be part of.
While stating that Ikorodu is hosting the first orientation programme for the newly employed teachers in the state, Alhaji Odumbo charged the tutors to let professionalism, excellence and integrity be their watchwords.
“I welcome you to Ikorodu, and appreciate that you are now part of us and we want to see better performances from you and assist in uplifting Ikorodu LGEA”.
He assured them that they will get what they deserve in Ikorodu in terms of rewards, once their performance rate is high, and reminded them that they will be under probation for the next two years when their employment will be fully confirmed.
He also urged them to cherish the profession, respect the constituted authority and build the pupils under their care, to the sky.
The immediate past Education Secretary, Kosofe LGEA, Mr Babatunde Shoneye who is the lead facilitator, informed the tutors that the purpose of the orientation is to sink certain values about the civil service and the teaching profession for them to be properly guided in their journey for the next 35 years.
“Without proper orientation and these basic information about the civil service and the teaching profession, your career growth may be stunted”, he said.
He took them through major educational structures – Ministry of Education, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB), Education District, and Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) and explained their functions and relationship.
He emphasised the importance of the LGEA to educational development at the grassroots level and their own growth as primary school teachers, and urged them to be conversant with it.
The facilitator also highlighted major stakeholders within the primary education sub -sector like Parents’ Forum, School Management Committee and NGOs and how they should relate with them.
He also listed being good role models to pupils, dedication to their life duties and proper management of learners as some of their purposes as teachers.
He warned them against actions and deeds that may expose them to disciplinary and legal issues such as using cane on learners, letting out corporal punishment to learners and imposing illegal levies.
While urging them to set personal boundaries, Mr Shoneye also charged the new tutors to get copies of the civil service rules to guide them at all times.
Mrs Otubamowo Adenike, the Head of Section, Basic Education Quality Assurance (BEQA), while speaking on “Teaching and Learning”, said that her unit monitors and supervises learning across schools.
She engaged them on the need to always share learning outcomes with learners at the beginning of each class. This, she said, would afford lthe pupils to know what they are going to achieve with the lesson.
Head of BEQA also urged them to have good knowledge of their subjects and show sympathy and empathy at all times. She added that young learners deserve encouragement and motivation through tutors’ words and actions.
She informed the newly inducted teachers that they are not entitled to maternity leave until after two years when their employment has been fully confirmed and urged them to save for the future.
In his own presentation on ‘Career Progression’, Mr Bamgbelu Adeoye, Head of Section, Administration and Human Resources Management, informed the tutors that they’re entitled to promotion after every three years except when they want to get to the Directorship level which requires four years.
He also impressed upon them that they must write and pass compulsory service examination for their employment to be confirmed and enjoy career progression.
He urged them to be computer literate and IT compliant because future examination in the service will be CBT based.
Comrade Dawodu Temitope Tairu, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), who was also a speaker, urged the new recruits to follow the service rules strictly.
He assured that the Union will be available and ready to defend their interests when and if need be. Like other speakers, he charged them on the need to deliver on their duties and desist from acts that would bring disciplinary challenges on them.
Comrade Dawodu also informed them that the Union will also be organizing its own orientation for the new teachers after the Ramadan.
At the orientation ceremony were LGEA’s Heads of Sections and staff.
