By Saheed Ibrahim
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The Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology in Ondo State, Mr. Laolu Akindolire, has emphasized the need for professionalism and adherence to civil service ethics among officers in the ministry.
He made this call during the Year 2024 Senior Professional Officers’ meeting held in Akure.
Akindolire noted that there had been cases of indiscipline, misconduct, and abuse of delegated authority among some officers, which, he said, necessitated the meeting.
He said, “in a bid to address the identified gaps, the Ministry gave birth to annual meeting to educate, train and expose Officers to various ethical principles in the education sector with a view to aligning them with the contemporary acceptable rules and standards of conduct to enhance effective service delivery.”
He highlighted the importance of fostering a culture of accountability and best practices within the ministry to enhance service delivery.
He reiterated the state government’s commitment to improving the welfare of its workforce under the leadership of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
According to him, the current administration has taken deliberate steps to ensure that workers’ lives are made easier through a series of reforms and policies aimed at their development.
“You may wish to recall that the Agenda of the present administration is encapsulated in the acronym “REDEEMED” in which Educational Advancement and Human Capital Development is a key component.
“It is worthy of note that the present administration under the leadership of Governor, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has put the welfare of workers in the front burner of its developmental strides for quality service delivery,” the commissioner said.
Akindolire outlined some of the strides made by the government, including the prompt payment of salaries, benefits, gratuity, digitalization of the education system, payment of West African Examinations Council (WAEC) fees for students, recruitment and promotion of teachers and the rehabilitation of schools across the state, among many others.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Folasade Adegoke, stressed that the meeting was an opportunity for senior officers to develop their capacities for optimal performance, emphasising the importance of continuous learning and professional development to improve service delivery.
The Director of Inspectorate and Quality Assurance in the ministry, Mrs. F.M. Arowosade, added that adherence to civil service ethics is crucial for the growth and progress of the education sector.
Lectures on “Education Officers and Civil Service Ethos for Quality Service Delivery” and “Education Officers: Emerging Issues and Professionalism,” were delivered during the technical session.