Distinguished Guests, fellow educators, and esteemed colleagues.
Today, on World Teachers’ Day, we celebrate the invaluable contributions of teachers across the globe.
We acknowledge the dedication, passion and unwavering commitment teachers demonstrate every single day, shaping people’s minds and building a better future.
But this year, we must go beyond mere celebration. We must use this opportunity to demand a fundamental shift in how we envision the future of education.
It’s time to forge a new social contract for education, one that prioritises the voices of teachers and empowers them to truly lead the way. Hence, the theme for this year’s World Teachers’ Day is apt and not a coincidence. It states: “VALUING TEACHERS’ VOICES: TOWARDS A NEW SOCIAL CONTRACT FOR EDUCATION”.
We all know that teachers play a pivotal role in shaping the future by nurturing students and driving educational progress.
However, to fully harness their potentials, it is crucial that their voices are heard, valued and respected in the decision-making processes that affect their profession.
Sadly, we are not always invited to the table in the formulations of the solutions to the challenges in the system. Our expertise, our voices are often silenced in the face of bureaucratic mandates and standardized testing pressures.
We need a system that values our collective knowledge, our lived experience and our ability to adapt and innovate.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I will not like to belabour this gathering. Dwelling on this year’s theme which bothers on “VALUING TEACHER VOICES: TOWARDS A NEW SOCIAL CONTRACT FOR EDUCATION”, I am particularly happy that a colleague, educational juggernaut and an erudite scholar in person of the Guest Speaker of the day – Comrade Oshoare Sulaiman Adesina, is on the ground to do justice to that.
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.
However, we are also committed to partnering with our State and Local Governments, Corporate Organizations and other passionate Agencies to complement their efforts in investing in Teachers.
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.
The Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, Nigeria is a Teachers’ welfare oriented Union whose interest is the total welfare of its members.
Since its inception in Lagos State, the Union has embarked on the following welfare programmes for the benefit of its members across the State:
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 which is being enjoyed by teachers with affordable subscription powered by Oceanic Health Insurance Limited.
Organizing seminars and workshops for serving and retiring teachers.
Partnership with Federal Mortgage Bank to provide Housing Scheme that would be affordable to teachers.
Giving assistance to retirees in processing their entitlement where the need arises.
Supporting retiring teachers financially through severance allowance.
Facilitating teacher’s registration and Licencing by Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria(TRCN) for professionalism.
Let me at this juncture reiterate the fact that this gathering is jointly put together by the members of Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) and Basic Education Staff Union of Nigeria (BESUN) Lagos State Chapters.
An adage says “The evil that men do lives after them”. But I want to say that “The good that men do also live after them”.
Today, ASUSS/BESUN will bestow award of honour on our Royal Father of the Day, His Royal Majesty, Oba (Engr) Monsuru Oladega, the Olu of Agboyi Kingdom, Comrade Folarin Babatunde Olanrewaju, Comrade Lumumba, I. Okugbawa, Comrade Ogunremi Francis Omoniyi, Comrade Gbengb Ekundayo, Comrade Alhaji Salman Isyaku Kiru, Comrade Idogen Emmanuel, Comrade Aladetan Abiodun and a company that have contributed immensely to the growth of our Union in particular and education in general.
I will be doing this gathering a great disservice if I refuse to appreciate our teaming members who have been keeping faith in us to get to where we are today. Thank You.
On a final note, 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”.
I do not want to bore you with a long speech, but before I end my speech, I would like to call on the State Government under the leadership of our dear Governor, Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, the Executive Governor of Lagos State, to do the needful in recognizing ASUSS in Lagos State as it was done all over the country in accordance with Nigeria Constitution and ILO convention on RIGHT to Association because we can no longer BREATHE.
To our invited Guests and our donors, Gentlemen of the Press, I want to express my sincere appreciations to you all for being there always. Thank you and remain bless.
In conclusion, I have the hope that all our retirees and our dear colleagues will go home happy, Thinking and Dreaming ASUSS as an entity, the only sure way we can reach our ultimate dream of the Union we desire. Do have a wonderful celebration.
HAPPY CELEBRATIONS.
Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria! Long live
Long live Lagos State! Long live
Long live ASUSS! Long live
Long live BESUN! Long live
