Reward for Hardwork
Adibe Emenyonu writes that the year began on a good note for Mrs. Noragbon Osaru, a head teacher who got rewarded by the state government for her outstanding performance
R:L: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; Executive Chairman, Edo Development and Property Agency, Isoken Omo; and Managing Director, Mixta Nigeria, Kola Ashiru-Balogun, during the commissioning of first phase of 100 housing units in Emotan Gardens Estate at Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, Edo State
In October last year when Mrs. Noragbon Osaru, the head teacher of Eniyan Primary School, Benin City, was being screened to participate in the digital training of teachers by the state government, she never had any inclination that she would pass the screening exercise. At the end of the exercise, she scaled the hurdle and was enlisted among the 7,000 teachers to be given digital training under the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo-Best) programme, an innovation of the Godwin Obaseki-led government to upgrade the standard of teaching and teachers in the state.
Unrelentingly, Osaru emerged the overall best teacher among her peers in the six weeks intensive course in digital technology, a modern technique of teaching/learning away from the old and analogue method.
Not only that, she also came the second best school administrator in Nigeria in a contest involving school heads across the country. Moved by this feat, Governor Obaseki gave her a car and N1million cash gift.
Speaking to journalists in Benin City after the reward, Osaru who pledged to do more for her pupils, in Emotan Primary School, dedicated the awards to Almighty God who singled her out for the honour by Governor Obaseki.
"I also dedicate the awards to my fellow teachers and pupils of my school and I am grateful to the Edo State Government that gave me the platform to teach. Our governor is a man of his words and I promise to do more for Edo pupils.
"I feel highly honoured by this rare reward from the governor who promised us months ago that he will reward hardworking teachers in the state. I am so happy to be favoured by his administration that believes in merit and hard work, she said.
Obaseki was not the only one that was showered with encomiums, as she also poured praises on the chairman of Edo State Universal Basic Education Board, whom she appreciated for implementing the governor's programme.
"I also wish to thank the Executive Chairman of the Edo State Universal Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe, who is implementing the governor's vision in the basic education sector with a high sense of professionalism.
"These awards are to all of us in our school; the teachers and pupils because I could not have done the work alone,” she added.
On how she emerged the second best head teacher in the country, Osaru explained that the journey started in August, when she was screened alongside 17 other best head teachers and teachers representing the 18 local government areas of the state.
"I was interviewed and drilled by the officials of government who found me worthy after the assessment, to represent Edo State at the national level and I emerged second best school administrator in Nigeria.”
To her colleagues, she said: "I will advise other teachers in the country to be more committed to their duty. They should see their job as an opportunity to contribute to the growth of the country.
"The government cannot do everything, I do not wait for government to provide all the money to make things work in my school. Headteachers should be creative and make the best of the resources at their disposal."
Not done, the state government had also dazzled Osaru when last week it gave out a two-bedroom bungalow at the Emotan Garden Housing Estate. The gift coincided with the visit of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who handed the keys to the apartment to her when he commissioned the first 100 unit of housing during his official visit to the state.
Speaking at the ceremony which attracted top government functionaries, Osinbajo, while presenting the key and certificate for the twobedroom apartment to the recipient, said, "It is my pleasure to officially commission cluster one of the Emotan Gardens Estate for immediate occupation by the first occupant and the winner of EDOBEST programme.”
Welcoming the Vice President to the state and the estate, Governor Obaseki said: “This is cluster one of Emotan Gardens, whose foundation you laid a few months ago.”
Emotan Gardens is an initiative of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led government developed through a joint-venture partnership between Mixta Africa, a renowned real estate developer and Edo Development and Property Agency (EDPA).
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development was signed in May 2018 with Mixta Africa, and had a delivery timeline of 12 months for the first phase. However, this was delivered well ahead of schedule.
Obaseki said the goal of Mixta Africa, the developer of the estate, is for subscribers to move into the property as soon as possible and that they inhabit a safe, serene estate that meets their needs.
“The first 100 of the houses are ready for inauguration. As a government, we have bought 10 of the houses, while about 50 of the houses have been sold to the public,” he said.
Appreciating Obaseki's gesture, Osaru said she remained eternally grateful to the governor for singling her out for the gift of a house and other previous largesse.