Payment Of Gratuities To Retired Primary School Teachers Begins On Monday – AKSG

Plans for the payments of gratuities to retired primary school teachers or their next of kin by the Akwa Ibom State Government have been concluded.

This was made known during the official presentation and distribution of Quality Assurance equipment to Quality Assurance Officers in the 31 Local Government Education Authorities in the state at the Akwa Ibom State Universal Basic Education Board ground.

The Chairman Akwa Ibom State Universal Basic Education Board SUBEB, Obong Ekpo appreciated the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Idongesit Etiebet for the proactive move of ensuring that teachers and students get back to school in line with the vision of Governor Udom Emmanuel in producing quality and excellent children for the future of the State to be achieved.

While appreciating the Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC for its role in the various infrastructural interventions in schools, Mr Ekpo, reiterated that it is not the building that makes the students but “the content of the teachers that will provide and produce well behaved, excellent performance of the child.”

The SUBEB helmsman maintained that teachers need to be guided, and stressed the need for effective supervision and monitoring which makes the Quality Assurance Department key.

He stated that education is not a one-man’s business but the collective effort of all critical stakeholders in the education sector, and sued for commitment and dedication from all, to ensure that the equipment so there are given are used to achieve effective supervision.

Mr. Ekpo appealed to the Education Secretaries to supervise the Quality Assurance Officers to ensure that they carry out their assignments and achieve expected results.

While commending Governor Udom Emmanuel for entrusting the responsibilities of the Basic Education sector into the hands of the newly constituted board members and for facilitating the board, he reiterated that the board is ready to establish a glaring and traceable difference in the education sector.

On behalf of the Board, the Chairman declared total support and also admonished the officers to show commitment and dedication as critical stakeholders in the development of the state’s education system.

The Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Idongesit Etiebet described Governor Emmanuel as an education-loving Governor and reiterated that the state of emergency declared by the Governor on the education sector will ensure that education is improved for every Akwa Ibom child at all levels.

Mrs. Etiebet outlined the achievements of the Governor in the education sector to include prompt payment of salaries to teachers, payment of examination fees for children in exit classes, internal examination fees, ongoing construction of perimeter fencing of government schools in the state and the commencement of verification exercises for the payment of gratuities to retired primary school teachers, prompt payment of counterpart funds, among others.

She said, “the Quality Assurance materials are to equip you to achieve excellence in the school system by monitoring, evaluating and inspecting of teachers. “The vision of Governor Udom Emmanuel is to make sure that we produce children that will have excellence in all ramifications that will be able to compete with any child in any clime”.

Earlier, the Zonal Director, South-South Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC, Mr. Igbinoba Osahon stated that in line with the UBEC Vision, UBEC has set aside 2% of the marching grant solely for quality assurance activities in the state. Mr. Osahon urged Quality Assurance Officers to make sure that the teachers are up to their tasks on a daily basis so that UBEC’s vision would be actualized.

Permanent Secretary of SUBEB, Elder Ezekiel Umoh who commended the teachers for educating and producing intelligent pupils disclosed that Akwa Ibom State took the overall first position in the presidential Essay competition in 2020. Elder Umoh maintained that the issue of Leave Grants for teachers will be addressed.

Furthermore, the Permanent Secretary seized the opportunity to announce the commencement of payment of gratuities to retired primary school teachers or their next of kin on Monday 26th April 2021. In his response on behalf of others, a beneficiary of the equipment, Apostle Aniefiok Okon thanked the SUBEB

Chairman for entrusting the equipment to them and assured that the officers will deliver qualitative education in the area of supervision and monitoring by putting the equipment to proper use. Items presented and distributed include 31 motorcycles, 17 Laptops and printers, 20 digital tablets, school diaries, records, chalks and other items.

Also present at the event was Chairman House Committee on Education and member representing Ibiono Ibom State Constituency, Hon. Godwin Ekpo, Board Member I, Elder Godwin Enoidem, Board Member II, Mr, Ambrose Ekong, Board Member III, Mr. Iniobong Akpan, Board Member IV, Sir, John Udoh, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Lady Rose Bassey, Chairman Nigerian Labour Congress, Comrade John James among others.