Oyebanji splashes N47.8 million gift on best teachers, condemns exam malpractice

On Saturday, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, Governor of Ekiti State, awarded 47.8 million naira in gifts to teachers who won awards in various categories at this year’s Teachers’ Day celebrations in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

In a harsh tone, the Governor also emphasised his administration’s determination to eradicate examination malpractices in all forms to safeguard the integrity of the state’s educational sector.

The teachers also took advantage of the World Teachers Day event, held at the Ekito Parapo Pavilion in Ado Ekiti, to vote in favour of the Oyebanji administration’s education policy and to endorse the Governor for a second term in office.

They based their endorsement for the Governor on the need to provide him with more opportunities to consolidate on the different programs and policies being implemented to improve education in the state.

Mrs. Modupe Folayemi of Saint Francis’ Primary School, Igbara Odo, and Mr. Odunayo Oriloye of Notre Dame Grammar School, Usi Ekiti, were named the best teachers in primary and secondary schools, respectively, at the event titled ‘Valuing Teachers’ Voices: Towards a New Social Contract for Education’.

Two teachers won N3 million each as first runners up, four received N1.5 million each as second runners up, and 26 teachers were given N200,000 each as consolation prizes.

The venue of the event was turned into a carnival, as teachers across educational cadres, adorned in Aso Ebi, electrified the arena in celebration of the annual event and praised the Governor for what they described as his teacher-friendly policies.

In his address at the event, the Chairman, Nigerian Union of Teachers(NUT), Ekiti State, Com. Daodu Bamidele, announced that all the teachers are appreciative of the governor’s positively impactful educational policies and pronounced that they are solidly backing his reelection in 2026.

Daodu commended Oyebanji for his positive contributions to strengthen the sector, urging the government to initiate policies that will checkmate brain- drain in education and retain the best brains within the system.

To accomplish the foregoing, he sought immediate implementation of 65 years retirement for teachers, as obtainable in some states of the federation to give his colleagues job security and relevance in the scheme of things.

“All the teachers in our dear state are appreciative of what the Governor has done. He has paid some of the arrears owed by the past administration and also initiated new ones. For the 2026 governorship election, we want to say that we are solidly behind him”, he said.

In his submission, his colleague in the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Com Sola Adigun, argued that secondary school teachers should be allowed to advance to grade level 17 for greater career opportunities.

Governor Oyebanji, represented by Deputy Governor Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, stated in his address that his government has ensured prompt and timely payment of salaries and deductions, as well as approval of multimillion naira housing and vehicle loans, to motivate teachers and boost their output.

The governor, who referred to teachers as the bulwark of the education sector, promised to offer all necessary incentives to propel and buoy Ekiti’s ranking in the country’s educational growth.

Miffed by alleged incidences of examination malpractice in the system, the Governor warned that his government would not tolerate examination malpractices under any guise, promising to wield the big stick against promoters of such sordid action in the state.

“I want to sternly warn school managers at all levels that government has zero tolerance for examination malpractice and investigations are ongoing to look into some of the allegations of connivance in the promotion of examination malpractice in some schools which led to seizure of SSCE certificate examination.

“I haven’t sent any school manager to impress me with bogus result to prove anything to me. We are not in phony competition to earn fake glory that is cancerous to the future of our young ones.

“Ekiti has a great name as a land of scholarship, learning and integrity, we will not tolerate any unwholesome and unethical practice from ant school or staff that could tarnish this glorious reputation”, Oyebanji stated.

Regarding attempts to strengthen the sector, Oyebanji stated that, in addition to salary and other emoluments, teachers were being taught locally and globally to sharpen their mental horizons and raise their propensity for better delivery.

The governor praised the Nigerian Union of Teachers, Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, All Nigeria Confederation of Secondary School Principals, and the Association of Public School Head Teachers of Nigeria for their unwavering partnership, professionalism, and cooperation at all times.

“It is on record that our administration has initiated car and housing loans for primary school teachers, ensured distribution of laptop computers to public secondary schools, colleges and special schools to mitigate the consequential personnel gap and regular disbursement of car/housing loans to eligible secondary school teachers, among others.

“Through the adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment, a World Bank assured project, many of our public schools have been refurbished and perimeter fences have been constructed in line with our safe school initiative.

“We have also fulfilled our promise to address the issue of career progression for graduate teachers in primary schools by approving their advancement from grade level 15 to 16, to bring them to a parallel peak with their counterparts in the Civil Service” he added.