As part of efforts in addressing shortage of teachers in public primary and secondary schools in Ogun State, the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), has absorbed 254 newly recruited teachers out of 1,000 OgunTEACh interns permanently employed in the teaching service by the present administration.

While speaking in celebration of 2024 World Teachers' Day, at June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, the state Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun said that the initiative was aimed at reducing the workload and to support academic excellence among learners.

Governor Abiodun assured of completion of all abandoned schools projects in the state by providing conducive learning atmosphere, disclosing that special intervention fund had been approved to cater for the infrastructural gap in the education sector.

"I realised the fact that SUBEB funding is not enough to cater for infrastructural gap and decay that we have in the state, I have approved funds that will allow us to have special task force that will now begin to monitor renovation of all our public schools across the state. So, we will not rely on SUBEB funding alone", he said.

The Governor informed that primary and secondary schools in the state would have access to their result sheets online, tagged, “e-Dosial”, which according to him, was first of its kind in the country, promising that his administration would continue to celebrate teachers, while the students would also be recognised through awards, in order to inspire them.

While describing the Governor as an achiever, the Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Dr. Femi Majekodunmi, stated that the Governor Abiodun-led government’s achievements in the last five years, especially in the education sector including, construction and renovation of schools, teachers' welfare, support sporting activities among others, were laudable.

Dr. Majekodunmi lauded Governor Abiodun for the huge investment on education, commending him for fulfilling his promise to absorbe another I,000 OgunTEACh interns.

         Speaking on this year’s theme, "Valuing teachers voices: towards a new social contract for education," the Chairman, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Sewakanu Oladipupo, highlighted the importance of adhering to teachers' voices in sharpening the future of the education system, pointing out that despite the economic hardship occasioned by the fuel price hike, teachers in the state were performing their duties as expected.

He appreciated the governor and the stakeholders in education sector for recording successes.

Remarking, the Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, ASUSS, Comrade Felix Agbesanwa, said teachers in the state were always alive to their responsibilities, urging government to sustain the tempo of recruiting Ogunteach interns, as a way of providing employment and addressing the shortage of teachers in public schools.

Reacting on behalf of other interns, Mrs. Sukurat Akindele from Ado-Odo Local Government Area of the state, expressed gratitude to the state government for employing them, promising that they would be dedicated to their duties.