Oyebanji rewards outstanding Ekiti teachers with N70.5m
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, on Monday distributed a total of N70.5 million to outstanding teachers across the 16 Local Government Areas of the state.
The gesture formed part of the highlights of the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration held in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, with the theme, “Standing with Teachers: 60 Years of Protecting the Profession, Advancing Its Status and Shaping Our Futures.”
The beneficiaries, who were recognised for outstanding performance and commitment to their responsibilities, were drawn from public primary and secondary schools, private schools and other administrative cadres in the education sector.
Addressing the teachers at the well-attended event, Governor Oyebanji lauded their efforts and commitment to the development of the state’s education sector, stressing their critical role in shaping the future of students.
He explained that his administration had, in almost four years, invested significantly in the education sector across all levels, noting that the interventions had earned the state recognition from both local and national organisations.
The governor assured the teachers of his administration’s continued commitment to their welfare and the provision of a conducive working environment, adding that all outstanding emoluments, particularly leave bonuses, would soon be paid.
Responding directly to a request by the teachers, Oyebanji disclosed that the state government would construct a new ultra-modern state library, which he said had been captured in the 2027 budget.
“I have listened to the leadership of NUT and let me disclose that we will be constructing a befitting state library next year. It has been captured in the 2027 budget,” he said.
According to him, “As of today, all the 203 public secondary schools have ICT laboratories, interactive boards, 5KVA inverters and internet facilities in 125 of them. Old school buildings were renovated/rehabilitated in all the schools and perimeter fencing was provided for 54 public secondary schools. Additionally, 48 public secondary schools were provided with CCTV cameras and 85 more schools will have theirs this month.
“We are committed to regular payment of salary, disbursement of revolving car and housing loans for eligible secondary school teachers, and I assure you that we will continue to prioritise the welfare packages for all our teachers in the state public schools.
“You would have observed that since the inception of our administration, we have demonstrated the genuineness of purpose and willingness of the heart to mitigate the personnel gap in the public education sector through recruitment of teachers in both public primary and secondary schools.
“In four years, we have recruited 5,530 teachers — Teaching Service Commission, 430 in 2022; 500 in 2023/2024; 1,600 in 2025/2026; and SUBEB, 1,500 in the 2022/2023 session and another 1,500 in 2026.”
Oyebanji assured the teachers that his administration would continue to protect their dignity and accord their welfare priority.
“Be rest assured that we will always stand with you and protect your dignity, and your place in our administration remains topmost,” he said.
The governor also appealed to the teachers to support and vote for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election, saying his re-election was crucial to the continuity of the administration’s Shared Prosperity Agenda in Ekiti State.
In her address, the Commissioner for Education, Dr Bimpe Aderiye, commended the governor for his commitment to and investment in the education sector, disclosing that billions of naira had been expended on the sector across all strata.
The state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Lawrence Adedeji, and his counterpart in the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), who was represented by Austin Bamidele, also lauded Governor Oyebanji for his commitment to the welfare of teachers and development of the education sector.
They appealed to the governor to fulfil his promises to the teachers on the payment of all outstanding emoluments and welfare packages, stressing that the celebration of teachers should go beyond a single day in October.
“Celebration of teachers should go beyond just a day in October but every day,” they said.
