Jubilation as Okpebholo gives employment letters to 5,000 teachers

By Jethro Ibileke

Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has converted over 5,000 contract teachers into permanent staff under the State Ministry of Education, marking a major milestone in his administration’s effort to strengthen the education sector and improve teachers’ welfare.

The teachers, who had been working under contract with a monthly stipend of ₦65,000 during the previous administration, received their formal letters of appointment on Wednesday in Benin City.

Speaking during the presentation, Okpebholo reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to prioritising education and restoring dignity to the teaching profession.

“Teachers, I am happy to see you,” he said, adding that “I wanted it this way because I had asked several times if you had received your letters, and the answer was no. So, I decided to supervise the process myself. As you collect your appointment letters today, you will also receive transport fare because I know many of you have travelled long distances.

“You are very important to us. Your reward is no longer in heaven; it is here, under our watch.”

The governor described teachers as the foundation of a progressive society, stressing that their role in shaping the minds of young Edo citizens was invaluable to the state’s future.

In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Education, Dr Paddy Iyamu, commended the teachers for their patience and dedication over the past three years despite the challenges of working without permanent status.

“You have been suffering for years, yet you have stayed committed to educating our children, waking up at night to prepare lesson notes,” he said.

“Beautiful schools without teachers are useless. Today, an angel has come, a leader who thinks about your welfare day and night.”

Iyamu also highlighted some of the governor’s achievements in the education sector, including the construction of over 68 new schools across the state within one year and the launch of the EDU-Rescue Programme, designed to provide quality education for children from low-income families.

He added that Okpebholo had significantly increased the monthly subvention of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, from ₦41 million to ₦500 million, with new facilities such as a 1,500-capacity lecture theatre and a 600-capacity student hostel currently under construction.

The event was filled with excitement as the newly appointed teachers hailed the governor’s gesture as a long-awaited fulfilment of their hopes and a demonstration of genuine leadership focused on people’s welfare.