The Ondo State Government has approved that serving primary school teachers can henceforth reach the status of Permanent Secretaries like other civil servants.
The Chairman, Ondo State Universal Basic Education Board, Mr Victor Olabimtan, disclosed this during his interactive meeting with the headteachers across the three senatorial districts of the state in Akure, the state capital.
Olabimtan, who distributed promotion letters to 2,111 teachers, out of which about 85 of them were upgraded to level-16 (PS status), reiterated the government’s genuine intention to create a conducive atmosphere for teaching.
He commended Governor Rotimi Akeredolu for providing the UBEC counterpart funds which had hitherto been neglected for about five years, paving way for the massive reconstruction of schools, renovations as well as provision of furniture items.
The chairman however frowned at the “dwindling population of pupils in public schools despite the government efforts,”
but “Ondo State Government will not relent in its efforts at upgrading school standard as well as its personnel.”
The SUBEB chairman also condemned in strong term the attitude of some teachers taking their biological children to private schools and ruled that it had become an offence for any public school teacher to take their wards to private schools.
He said, “The teachers will henceforth be held responsible for any drop in primary schools’ enrolment.”
Olabimtan also tasked the Education Secretary in the 18 Local Government Areas of the state “not to hesitate at reporting any teacher found wanting in their duty post for possible sanction.”
In his remarks, the state Chairman of the Parents Teachers Association, Alhaji Abimbola Omoloja, commended the governor for showing interest in lifting education from foundation.
The PTA chairman solicited for the return of extra curricular activities to schools.