There was palpable joy Monday as over 700 newly recruited teaching staff of the Oyo State Post Primary Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) were issued their appointment letters in Ogbomoso, Oyo state. The distribution of the letters took place at Anglican Grammar School.
“It is a dream come true for me,” one of the newly recruited teachers, who however did not give his name, told ogbomosoinsightonline.com. “I have waited for a long time to secure employment, at least, this is a good starting point. I am highly elated. We thank Governor Seyi Makinde for this gesture. God will continue to bless him and cover him in grace.”
Congratulating the new teachers, the Head of Zone (HOZ), Ogbomoso TESCOM zonal office, Mr. Subomi Adedoyin charged them to strive to make their impact felt as they begin their teaching career.
Mr. Adedoyin who effusively lauded Governor Seyi Makinde for “his devotion to raising the bar of education in Oyo state underscored by his continuous recruitment of teachers based on merit,” said the newly employed should see their new role as a call to duty to “affect positively the lives of students. That is the only way you can justify the huge investment your appointment represents, you must reciprocate the gesture of the governor.”
The HOZ posited that with the new appointment the governor had succeeded in bridging the gap in the teaching sector at the secondary school level, stressing, “there is no school in Ogbomoso now that can say it is not adequately staffed, none of the 85 schools got less than two teachers and there are those we posted 14 teachers to. So, kudos to the governor. Let’s give him applause.”
He also noted, “this is a big push in education. After this exercise, I don’t think there is any secondary school that will lack any subject teacher in Oyo state. Many teachers have been recruited, so it is a welcome development for us and to our students, the era of no sufficient teachers in schools is now gone. We now have a balanced situation in teachers distribution. And this will reflect in teaching, and in the results (of external exams); many subject teachers were recruited, French teachers, same thing for Fine Art and so many others, so, I really appreciate Governor Seyi Makinde.’
Subomi who once served as the zonal chairman of All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of secondary
Schools (ANCOPSS) Ogbomoso zone, further remarked while speaking with newsmen, “My message is that the governor has done well for them, and the governor did this not only because of them but for the school children, all of us that are here won’t be here if there are no students, so, I want to charge them to make impact when they start work, let the students know you have come, let your impact be felt.
“And now to whom much is given much is expected. A government in the past recruited workers from the ward and that’s why you were not employed that time, they wrote names from the ward, only their members were recruited but Governor Seyi Makinde did not do that, he recruited irrespective of political parties, so, when he needs you in the future, you need to reciprocate.”
The new teachers were advised to complete their documentation exercise for seamless transition into the system, emphasizing particularly on the receipt of assumption of duty in the schools they are posted to.
“Your acceptance of the appointment letter today means you are now a government worker. Assumption of duty letter is important, it means you have assumed duty. You must bring the assumption of duty form back to us by January 3. You are due for January salary. You will be given an assumption of duty form when you take your posting letter to your place of primary assignment. Documentation has to be completed before you can be properly integrated and get paid.”
7000 teaching staff and 3000 non-teaching staff are to be employed throughout the state. The first batch of the teaching category comprises 5000 who were given letters of appointment throughout the ten TESCOM zonal offices on Monday. Second batch will soon follow. The new recruits are to assume duty on Thursday, January 2.
