*NEWS EDITORIAL*
*By Festus Alenkhe*
*6,000 Teachers Employed: Governor Okpebholo Restores Hope To Edo Classrooms*
Education is the foundation upon which every thriving society is built. And at the heart of that foundation are teachers. In a landmark decision, the Edo State Governor, *Senator Monday Okpebholo*, has approved the employment of *6,000 teachers* into the state’s public school system. This is not just a recruitment exercise. It is a rescue mission for basic education in Edo State.
For too long, many of our schools, especially in the rural areas, operated with skeletal staff. Some schools had more pupils than teachers. Others depended on PTA teachers and volunteers just to keep classes running. The result was predictable: poor learning outcomes, teacher burnout, and declining confidence in public schools.
That narrative is changing. Reports from across the state confirm that *most schools in rural areas now have teachers working in their schools*. For communities that had almost given up on government presence in education, this is a new dawn.
What makes this intervention even more significant is the decision to *convert all casual teachers engaged by the previous administration to full-time staff on the state government payroll*. For years, these casual teachers worked with little security, poor pay, and no hope of retirement benefits. Governor Okpebholo has now given them dignity.
*The employment is pensionable.* That single word changes everything. It means job security. It means a future. It means that a teacher in Uromi, Okhuessan , Auchi, lgarra, Okada, Agenebode, or Afuze can now plan their life knowing that their service to the state will be rewarded even after retirement.
This policy achieves three things at once:
1. *It addresses the teacher deficit* that has plagued our schools for years.
2. *It rewards loyalty and service* by regularizing casual staff who have kept schools running.
3. *It restores faith in public service* by showing that government can still keep its promise to workers.
Teachers are not just employees; they are nation builders. They deserve tools, motivation, and respect. These, Edo state government have now deployed.
To the 6,000 new and regularized teachers: Edo’s children are watching you. Teach them well. Be the reason a child in a village believes they can become a doctor, lawyer, pilot, engineer, Journalist, or president of a nation.
To the government: this is commendable. Sustain it. Monitor it. And let this be the beginning of a comprehensive overhaul of our education sector.
Governor Okpebholo has planted a seed. If nurtured well now, Edo’s education sector will blossom again.
*Our children deserve teachers. Today, they have them.*
Script By Festus Alenkhe.
