Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo and his Enugu counterpart, Dr Peter Mbah, on Tuesday inaugurated the Edo State Education Hub and the newly rehabilitated Benin Technical College.
Obaseki, who described the facility as a culmination of efforts within the education ecosystem, said the teachers’ Hall of Fame, was created within the facility to honour dedicated educators.
Obaseki noted that the EdoBEST initiative succeeded due to its focus on training teachers, stressing that educators were central to any educational reform efforts.
“That is why we trained teachers before investing in infrastructure. When we took office in 2016, the education sector was in disarray, and we had to reorganize it,” he said.
The governor expressed gratitude to the teachers who laid the foundation of the state’s educational system.
Obaseki named the education hub in honour of the late Tayo Akpata, whom he credited for impacting his life.
Additionally, he named the building housing the Ministry of Education after Joan Oviawe, the state’s education commissioner, acknowledging her contributions.
Obaseki urged teachers to take ownership of the hub, maintaining it as part of efforts to restore Edo’s legacy.
He said that although his tenure as governor had come to an end, he would remain committed to Edo’s progress.
The Education Hub houses the state’s Library Board, a primary healthcare centre, directorates for higher education and quality assurance, as well as well-designed schools from primary to junior secondary levels, among others.
Obaseki also unveiled the Teachers Hall of Fame, an initiative by the Ministry of Education to recognize teachers who had made a lasting impact on the state’s education sector.
Mbah, in his remarks, thanked Obaseki for building a legacy that would benefit future generations in Edo, describing Obaseki’s leadership as people-centered.
“These children you’ve empowered will never forget your transformative projects and impactful governance, ” Mbah said.
Also, the former Sokoto State Governor, Sen. Aminu Tambuwal also praised Obaseki’s achievements, saying Edo would remember him for numerous legacy projects, including the Hall of Fame for teachers.
Tambuwal added, “The Education Hub is a groundbreaking achievement which is the first in Nigeria, urging future leaders to emulate this focus on good governance over politics.”
At the Benin Technical College, Obaseki explained that the college’s rehabilitation was driven by his determination to curb irregular migration among young people.
“In 2016, upon taking office, I learned about the alarming rate of human trafficking affecting Edo youth and we needed to take urgent step to tackle the scourge .”.
He recalled visiting the college firsthand and launching its rehabilitation, motivated by reports that over 30,000 Edo youths were in Libya.
Obaseki concluded, “I leave office satisfied and proud that I took action to restore this institution, offering young people a brighter future through education and training,” he said. (NAN).
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