By Abdullahi Muhammad
Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has on Thursday honoured 67 outstanding teachers with Excellence Service Awards for impacting the students to become useful citizens in the society.
Permanent Secretary FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola presented the Excellence Service Awards to the teachers who were selected from the various education agencies across the territory.
The award was put together by the FCT Secondary Education Board (SEB) to reward teachers in the nation’s capital to dispel the insinuations that teachers’ rewards are in heaven.
Represented by the Director Security Service Department, Mr. Adamu Gwary said the awardees were rewarded for selfless service, dedication, punctuality, neatness, loyalty, accountability, integrity, commitment and innovations among others.
He, however, described teaching as the most important profession in the world, while congratulating the awardees and urged them to do more .
Mr Olusade specifically commended the synergy and collaboration of all the education sisters agencies, and encouraged them to sustain the trend.
According to him: “Who is a teacher? Teachers are people that lead you to success, lead you to prosperity, lead you to know who you are and lead you to be rooted in the society. To become a champion is one thing , but to defend our championship is more difficult, because those who do not receive the award will aspire to receive it; and in such a situation, service delivery would be enhanced. The reward for hard work, is more work” Gwary Said,
Similarly, the Secretary, FCT Education Secretariat, Malam Sani El- Katuzu who was represented by Director Administration and Finance, Malam Abdurazaq Leramoh enjoined them to continue to take their jobs of imparting the students seriously. Saying, no reward can adequately compensate the sacrifices of teachers, he described the recognition award as a motivational initiative that every other staff should strive to achieve.
On his part, the Director, FCT Secondary Education Board, Dr Ladan Sani said the 67 awardees were carefully selected for their outstanding performances in their various departments and units.
Meanwhile, the Director FCT Education Resource Center, Hajiya Neemat Abdulraheem was optimistic that the award would spur healthy competitive spirit among educators in the system.
“Originality is the true essence of life. I charge you all to be honest and original in your duties. I congratulate you all and urge those not recognized to work harder to be recognized.”
The majority of the awardees expressed gratitude to the Board for honoring them and promised to work harder in the upcoming years.
Several of the students described their teachers as mentors, role models, counselors, carers, educators, and others as they took turns doing so.