World Teachers Day Celebration As ASUSS Gives N9.7m Cash, Other Gifts To 65 Retirees
World Teachers Day Celebration As ASUSS Gives N9.7m Cash, Other Gifts To 65 Retirees
This has been the practice in the last 15 years, as the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Lagos State chapter has presented a whopping N9.7 million cash and gift rewards to 65 retired members of the union in the state.
The presentation formed part of the highlights of the 2024 World Teachers Day celebration put together by Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) and Basic Education Staff Union of Nigeria (BESUN), Lagos State Chapters, which was held at Onike-Yaba, Lagos.
In his address to members of the unions and guests, Kazeem Alabi Labaika, the Lagos State Chairman of ASUSS appreciated the beneficiaries for their dedication to duty, saying their commitment to the noble profession will not go in vain.
“As usual, World Teachers’ Day is to recognise and appreciate the role of teachers in enhancing the status of the profession on October 5 every year. On our part, we have created a lot of programmes to assist our members across the State which we are going to witness today.
“Today’s event will recognize 65 of our members who have meritoriously served in Lagos State, the Centre of Excellence, and they will receive Cheques and Gifts in support of their retirement to the tune N9.7million.”
Labaika expressed the commitment of the union to partnering with state and local governments, corporate organizations and other passionate agencies to complement their efforts in investing in teachers, adding “That is the more reason the Union embarks on various programmes since its inception to enhance and change the status of members in the state.”
Speaking on the celebration with the theme: “Valuing Teachers’ Voices: Towards A New Social Contract For Education”, Labaika the WTD goes beyond mere celebration but an avenue to demand a fundamental shift in how we envision the future of education.
He emphasised the need to forge a new social contract for education, one that prioritises the voices of teachers and empowers them to truly lead the way, saying the 2024 theme was apt and not a coincidence.
Speaking further at the WTD, Comrade Labaika said, ” I want to call on our dear Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, the Executive Governor of Lagos State to please implement the elongation of service for out teaming members across the State. That is 65 years of retirement or 40 years of meritorious service whichever one that comes first as it was approved by the Federal Government and some other states of the federation.
“We equally want to crave the indulgence of Mr. Governor to please give a token to the set of workers especially the teachers and those in essential services that did not benefit from the “executive directive on further measures to assuage the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy on public servants”.
He listed some of the welfare programmes of the unions to include provision of essential materials such as food items, electronic gadgets, educational and teaching/learning instructional aids and so on at minimal cost to teacher; provision of household appliances and computer accessories throughout the year; provision of health insurance scheme; organizing seminars and workshops for serving and retiring teachers and affordable housing scheme in partnership with Federal Mortgage Bank to teachers, among others.
In recognition of supports for the unions, some eminent citizens were bestowed with awards.
They are His Royal Majesty, Oba (Engr) Monsuru Oladega, the Olu of Agboyi Kingdom; Comrade Folarin Babatunde Olanrewaju, Comrade Lumumba Okugbawa and Comrade Ogunremi Omoniyi.
Others are Comrade Gbengba Ekundayo; Comrade Alhaji Salman Isyaku Kiru; Comrade Idogen Emmanuel; Comrade Aladetan Abiodun and a corporate organisation for thier contributions to the growth of the union in particular and education in general.
