Enugu State government yesterday reaffirmed its commitment to restoring the fallen standard of education, insisting that the sector remained crucial to the socio-economic development of any nation.
This is coming as a Senior lecturer in the department of psychology, faculty of social sciences, Enugu state University of Science and Technology, ESUT, Dr. Ejike Okonkwo emerged best lecturer of the university for the 2012/2013 academic year.
The Best lecturer who emerged through a process sponsored by Fidelity Bank Plc took home N3 million as well as plaques and certificates.
Best lecturer award is a yearly award event instituted by ESUT to reward excellence, dedication and hard work among lecturers and to encourage them put in more effort at teaching the students.
Speaking at the event which took place at the University’s campus, Agbani, Governor Sullivan Chime who was represented by his Commissioner for Education, Prof Chris Okolo said several steps have been taken by the administration to improve education standard in the state.
He noted that apart from renovating primary and secondary school buildings across the state, the government had equally ensured that teachers go through constant training and re-training exercises.
The Vice Chancellor of the University Prof. Cyprian Onyeji described Dr. Okonkwo as brilliant, whose award did not come as a surprise.
Prof. Onyeji said he was sure that Okonkwo would emerge again and again and advised other runners up of the award not to go down on the record they have created but to increase their diligence and dedication to duty with utmost passion.
He congratulated Fidelity bank Plc for partnering with ESUT, stating that the bank has maintained record of a worth partner.
Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, said the bank was proud to be associated with ESUT and will continue to support the university, pledging that more partnerships with ESUT would henceforth continue.
Represented at the award ceremony by the Executive Director Corporate Banking, Mr. John Obi, the Fidelity bank boss said the bank maintained a branch office in ESUT campus, disclosing also that the bank was part of the erecting of the university gate “and will continue to sponsor this best lecturer award.”
Obi stated that fidelity bank is launching a scholarship promo where students could win up to N80m, maintaining the brand account with the bank.
In his acceptance speech, winner of the award, Dr. Ejike Okonkwo said he was overwhelmed, wondering if it were real. He dedicated the victory to the entire students and lecturers of ESUT.
Dr. Okonkwo said: “This victory is not just mine but ours because day in day out all of us in ESUT despite the challenges produce the best.”
He noted that he had his first degree in ESUT “and when I spoke at the NYSC orientation camp they asked me where I was trained and I said. Thisday
