The Ekiti State Government has distributed cheques totaling Two Hundred Million Naira ( N200,000,000) as car and housing loans to Four Hundred(400) teaching and non-teaching staff in public primary schools across the State.
The Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji while flagging-off the distribution at the Lady Jibowu Hall, Government House grounds in Ado Ekiti, said that the decision to introduce a vehicle and housing loans scheme for public primary school teachers is in fulfillment of the promise he made to review the policy that had hitherto discriminated against primary school teachers in the State as they were the only major segment in the state public service that did not have a government car and housing loans scheme
Governor Oyebanji who was represented by the Head of Service, Engr. Sunday Komolafe stated that in the quest of his administration to provide free qualitative basic education to pupils in public primary schools in the state it was imperative to provide incentives which are considered to be the cornerstone for teaching and learning in schools in view of the fact that such incentives would boost the morale of teachers and also provide a framework that helps teachers impart knowledge more effectively.
The Governor stated that the new loan scheme is a result of the avowed commitment of his administration to the welfare and wellbeing of workers in the State, adding that it would further serve as impetus for the beneficiaries to be more committed to their duties to ensure effective service delivery.
Oyebanji stressed that the gesture is to give primary schools staff a sense of belonging as they too have been considered as beneficiaries of these loans like their counterparts in the secondary schools across the state.
He however charged the beneficiaries to rededicate themselves to ensure optimal performance of pupils in the national common entrance and placement examinations.
Governor Oyebanji promised to continue with provision of infrastructural facilities for conducive teaching/learning environment to attract more pupils for enrollment in public primary schools, urging every stakeholder to compliment government’s effort in this regard in order to make public schools in the State enviable centres of excellence.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Prof. Femi Akinwumi said that the new loan regime for primary school staff is a testament to the commitment of the Oyebanji led administration to the welfare and development of staff in the basic education sector.
Prof. Akinwumi noted that the loan disbursement is just one of other incentives such as payment of outstanding salaries and allowances, approval of outstanding 2022/2023 promotion for over 4,000 public primary school teachers across the state, capacity building for teachers and support for ICT training programme under which 1145 computer tablets were procured and distributed to primary school teachers; among others, to ensure that primary school teachers also benefit from government in line with the shared prosperity agenda of this administration.
The Chairman however emphasized that the loans are revolving in nature in order to give room for future recipients of the loans urging that the beneficiaries of the first tranche should maximize the opportunity and utilize the loans profitably so that repayment would not become a burden to them.
The SUBEB boss also charged them to work harder and be more committed, diligent and dedicated to duty in order to impact qualitative basic education in the children being one of the greatest assets of the state.
In her goodwill message, the State Commissioner for Education, Dr Kofoworola Aderiye said the event shows the importance of teachers to Governor Oyebanji’s led administration adding that the Government’s gesture is aimed at boosting the morale of teachers and ultimately improving service delivery in public primary schools in the State.
Also in his goodwill message, the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Chief Folorunso Olabode who congratulated teachers on successful commencement of the loans scheme disclosed that the Governor had approved procurement of instructional materials worth over Hundred and Seventy One Million Naira (N171,000,000)to be distributed to public primary schools in the State.
Responding on behalf of other beneficiaries, Mrs. Oguntamore Monisola of SUBEB Model Nursery and Primary School Ado-Ekiti commended the Oyebanji Administration for the gesture and pledged the commitment of teachers in the State to their duties and to the ongoing transformation going in the basic education sector in the State.
Last modified: June 14, 2024
