By Fatima Muraina

Civil servants in the teaching service in Ondo State have been advised to always prepare themselves for post retirement by empowering themselves as a means of self sustenance after retirement.

 Dr. Kayode Fakolade, a guest lecturer gave the advice at the send-forth ceremony in honour of retired principals and tutors in Akure local government area of the state.

Fakolade while delievering the lecture  with the theme ‘Retirement is pleasurable if planned, explained that there is nothing that is well planned that will not be pleasurable.

The guest lecturer charged those who are still in service to engage themselves in skills of interest to have what to fall back on after retirement.

According to him, the lecture would benefit retired civil servants, yet to retire and those who are still in the service.

He enjoined civil servants to plan for their retirements immediately they join civil service so that it does not become  a sorrowful experience when they retired

He attributed the disappointment in the contributory scheme of the country to the poor system which he described as another means of exploiting workers.

Fakolade thanked Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for his effort in making life meaningful for pensioners and appealed to him to improve on pension  scheme  in the state.

Speaking, the State Commissioner for Education, Pastor Femi Agagu, reiterated the efforts of the government in improving the welfare of the civil servants through training and retraining.

He noted that Akeredolu-led government has successfully paid six out of seven months arrears owed by the immediate past administration to workers.

The commissioner, who was represented by the Assistant Director in the Ministry, Mr Adesida said plan is in the pipeline by the state government to recruit teachers in order to maintain balance of teachers in both primary and secondary schools in the state.

On her own part, the Permanent Secretary, Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) in the state, Dr. Olufunmilayo Ajayi, advised the retirees to manage their finances and keep themselves busy for body exercise.

She further enjoined them as they are retiring to take good care of themselves by visiting their doctors regularly and not engage in self medication.

The permanent secretary described teaching as a noble profession that one can be proud of and told them that saving is a culture that teachers must cultivate for them to live peaceful life after retirement.

In his address, the Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Akure South Local Government, Mr. Charles Jegede, congratulated the retirees for their successful retirements, disclosing that the union has plan in preparing retirees to life after retirement through training skill with a view to empowering them for post retirement.

Jegede appealed to the state government on the upward review of the principals and their vices allowances and science teacher’s inducements as the old rate is unencouraging.

Speaking with journalists, one of the retirees and former principal of Muslim Grammar School, Akure, Alhaja Seenat Anifowose, thanked God for helping her to combine the teaching profession with motherhood successfully.

She said the retirement was not a surprise to her as she has been preparing for it in the last few years.