The Abia government has urged the 5,349 newly recruited teachers across nursery, primary and secondary school levels in the state, to show commitment, dedication and respect in their service delivery.

Goodluck Ubochi, the state commissioner for basic and secondary education, gave the advice on Saturday in Aba, at the closing of the training for the teachers.

He charged the teachers to discharge their duty with diligence, passion, integrity and excellence, while reminding them of their responsibility to shape young minds.

“From Sept. 22, we are going to start getting the feedback that a great army has been discharged into the educational sector.

“Remember, this is a new Abia which has a new spirit and every one of us is supposed to achieve this new spirit,” the commissioner said.

He said that the 5,349 of the new teachers who were engaged were carefully selected from the over 30,000 applications that were submitted online.

Mr Ubochi charged the teachers to show capacity and determination, warning that there would be no promotion without a record of improvement in their career path.

According to him, the era of crowd effect is gone; you can remain at your present level for years if you don’t show capacity.

Mr Ubochi disclosed government’s plan to recruit 4,000 additional teachers, adding that it would soon scale up the process to ensure that it was achieved.

The commissioner said that Gov. Alex Otti had a lot of empathy for the education sector, adding that he had made a huge commitment towards ensuring a high-quality education in the state.

He urged the teachers to be ambassadors for change by sensitising those in rural and local areas to participate in the ongoing voter card registration exercise.

In a goodwill message, the permanent secretary in the ministry, Uchechukwu Kalu, admonished the teachers to take their work seriously and be committed to their calling as teachers.

“Teaching is not just a profession, it’s a calling and I want to encourage you to commit your time to this service,” she advised.

Also, the state chairman of Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Friday Madu, who acknowledged that teachers were highly recognised, said that the union would celebrate Mr Otti on Oct. 5, being World Teachers’ Day, for his transformational leadership in education.

The 12-day training held simultaneously in Aba and Umuahia was part of the AbiaFIRST Education Programme.

The teachers were equipped with the necessary skills to provide high-quality education in the state by the consultant, Education Reform and Innovation Team (ERIT).

(NAN)