The Lagos State Government has inducted 5,436 graduates as Teachers’ Corp, deployed to Lagos State as Volunteer teachers under the N-POWER Programme of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Speaking at the occasion, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule admonished the beneficiaries to be dedicated, make a difference, show that the future belongs to the youths of today and contribute their quota to the development of the State by making a huge impact in the education sector.
Adebule said “In Lagos State, we have a way of monitoring teachers’ performance and rewarding dedication, diligence and hard work. This motivation will be extended to you and winning the prizes available is yours to decide”.
She recalled that the State Government has in the last two years recruited 2,300 teachers in order to reduce the teacher/pupils ratio, adding that teaching and learning take place better when there are fewer pupils/students for a teacher to handle.
According to her, a proportionate teacher/pupil ratio allows teachers to closely study each pupil with the aim of understanding his/her strengths and weaknesses vis-a-vis the area where personal intervention is required to help each learner to excel.
While imploring the beneficiaries not to see their posting to either the primary or secondary sector as conferring any superiority or privilege on other people, Adebule urged them to rather see their posting as an opportunity to serve humanity and contribute to the building of a nation State.
She expressed optimism that the allocation of subjects to be taught in their places of primary assignment will be predicated on their qualifications, adding however that, where that is not exactly the case, the subject allocated won’t be far from their area of competence.
The Deputy Governor counseled those that might be posted to rural areas that they have nothing to worry about because the hospitality of the good people of Lagos State permeates all the nooks and crannies of the State and their services will be better appreciated and rewarded in such areas where pupils and students of such communities yearn for qualitative education.
Earlier the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. Adesina Odeyemi noted that the N-Power programme is an initiative of the Federal Government to reduce graduate unemployment by empowering 500,000 graduates in the areas of Agriculture, Power, Education and so on.
