EKITI State All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised Governor Ayo Fayose for alleged poor welfare of teachers, including owing them about six months’ salary.
The party, in a statement yesterday congratulating Ekiti teachers on this year’s World Teachers’ Day, attributed the success of the state’s candidates in this year’s National Examinations Council (NECO) certificate examination to their sacrifice and industry.
A statement by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, attributed the NECO feat to the teachers’ adherence to the policy enunciated by former Governor Kayode Fayemi’s administration to relaunch the state to its former status as the Fountain of Knowledge.
He stressed that their performances had demonstrated that Ekiti teachers could become the best in the country, if given effective orientation, right policy, conducive environment and incentives to perform their duties.
Olatunbosun berated Fayose for alleged hypocrisy in his dealing with teachers, noting that while he always boasted to be friends to teachers, he did nothing to improve their welfare.
He said: “If teachers are important to him as he claims, he would have made payment of teachers’ salaries his priority instead of a needless flyover, new Governor’s Office and airport projects.”
“It is the poor treatment of teachers by Fayose that has turned them to paupers, who steal pots ofamala on fire while some slumped in classrooms because of hunger.”
The APC spokesman advised Fayose to stop “his deceit” in his dealing with teachers and follow the footsteps of Fayemi in ensuring welfare of teachers instead of media propaganda, including presentation of cheap “ankara” fabric in public.
He said: “After Fayemi approved promotions for teachers and head teachers (some of which Fayose reversed), fixing dilapidated classrooms, approval of relativity pay, core subjects and rural posting allowances, by now, Ekiti teachers should have known which governor treated them better.
“We call on Fayose to stop his cosmetic approach to education and embark on a more fundamental policy. He should take the welfare of teachers more seriously and create a better learning environment to enable the teachers and students sustain their performances to put Ekiti State permanently on top of other states in public examinations.”
