Governor Umo Eno has approved a N50,000 wardrobe allowance for each of the 20,000 teachers employed by the Akwa Ibom government.

Mr Eno stated this on Monday during the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration in Uyo. He said teachers must continue to appear neat and smart to inspire confidence among pupils and students in their various classrooms.

“I have approved another N50,000 per teacher as wardrobe allowance for all the 20,000 teachers employed by the Akwa Ibom government. I have been briefed that there are 1,776 registered private schools. For each of those schools, they will receive the sum of N500,000 so that they can also spread love to their teachers,” Mr Eno said.

He expressed delight over the indelible contributions of resourceful teachers in the state, saying their efforts aligned with his administration’s ARISE agenda.

The governor described teachers as agents of change, wondering what the world would have become without them.

“A governor who leads a state like my humble self is leading well because a teacher once instilled the discipline and knowledge which we are now applying in leading the people. The same goes for the brilliant scientists, doctors and other professionals who help keep the chain of excellence moving smoothly. They were all taught by teachers,” he also said.

Mr Eno thanked the teachers for endorsing his candidacy, as well as President Bola Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio, for a second term in office.

“Together we will continue to deepen the depth of knowledge you instil in our children, the competitive spirit and the spirit of excellence. The trite saying has been that ‘teachers’ rewards are in heaven. No! Teachers’ rewards are here.

“Our belief and conviction is that your reward begins here on earth; and we have taken concrete steps to actualise those rewards,” Mr Eno said.

He said his administration built and furnished 38 model primary schools, with at least one in each council area of Akwa Ibom. According to him, Akwa Ibom has released N15 billion as a matching grant, and SUBEB has intervened in over 100 schools.

The governor also said the administration has upheld free and compulsory education, including payment of WAEC and NECO fees for 172,000 students from Akwa Ibom.

“We have approved the recruitment of 1,000 teachers before, and I have granted approval for another 2,000,” he added.

The governor advised qualified teachers to apply for the vacancies, take the computer-based test, and follow due process to be employed in line with civil service rules.

(NAN)