Kwara secondary school principals hail Abdulrazaq’s education development efforts

Secondary school principals in Kwara State have commended the efforts of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq at improving education sector in the state, saying that his achievements in improving learning environment and welfare of teachers are remarkable.

The teachers also commended the introduction of an innovation called the ‘KwaraLEARN,’ describing it as impactful

They added that the administration’s interventions have also been spread across every part of the state.

The school heads spoke at an interactive meeting in Ilorin, held by the governor to feel their pulse on government’s focus on the basic education and their welfare across board.

At least 300 school principals attended the meeting, along with some key stakeholders from across the education sector in Kwara State.

The teachers, who acknowledged the improvements in their wages and teaching environment, also called on the governor to consider restoring boarding facilities to schools in the state.

Others pleas were to end the pay disparities between teachers in basic classes and their senior secondary school counterparts, commit more funds to laboratories in the schools, and do more to offset the arrears of salaries when he became the governor in 2019.

Principal of Ilorin Grammar School, Hajia Abdullahi Muslimat Iyabo, said her school was one of the schools that benefited from the comprehensive renovation of schools under Governor Abdulrazaq’s administration.

She expressed gratitude to the governor on behalf of the school for the renovation and welfare of the teachers and students.

In their contributions, the principals of Community Junior Secondary School Ipetu-Igbomina in Irepodun Local Government and Queen Elizabeth Senior Secondary School, Ilorin Mr Babatunde J. Adegboyega and Sidikat T. Lawal, commended AbdulRazaq for giving a befitting facelift to schools, prompt interventions on issues affecting the schools, for changing the trajectory of basic education in the state, among other transformation.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development Mrs Mary Adeosun said the governor has been exemplary in his commitment to education which she said mirrors his passion for the future of the state.

Chairman of SUBEB, Prof Shehu Raheem Adaramaja, described the interactive session as historic in the state.

Adaramaja blamed the longstanding disparity in the pay between the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and  Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) teachers on four factors, out of which he noted that two had been resolved.

He listed other factors to be over-deduction of NUT and National Housing Scheme (NHS) dues — both of which have now been addressed and reflected in the teachers’ salaries — stoppage of step upgrades for SUBEB teachers since 2016, and non-payment of allowances due to teachers with TRCN. He said these challenges will also be resolved, but called for patience and understanding of the teachers.