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| Ben Uwajimogu; Speaker, Imo State House Of Assembly |
By Chidi Odor
The member who represents Ideato – South State Constituency at the State House of Assembly, Hon. Ikechukwu Amuka has been appointed the Chief whip of the Imo State House of Assembly following the resignation of Hon. Ugonna Ozuruigbo (OZB) of Nwangele.
Hon. Amuka’s appointment as the new Chief Whip was announced at plenary by the speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu and has already resumed duties with the clerk of the House directed to adjust his records to reflect the change. Meanwhile, the house has passed a resolution urging the chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to convert the appointment of teachers in the State from “Non – Tutorial Staff” to “Tutorial Staff” so as to be properly placed to enable them earn their requisite remuneration
Hon. Victor Ndunagu of Mbaitoli State Constituency who sponsored the motion argued that, it is not only demoralizing and counter productive but, a great injustice to employ qualified teaches as “Non – Tutorial” and thereafter post them to classrooms to teach without commensurate remuneration, stressing that, based on their experience, justice demands that they should be converted to tutorial staff to give them sense of belonging as well as bring out the best in them.
Supporters of the motion contended that, the people concerned had shown great humility and loyalty by accepting such a situation where their potentials were under-utilized despite their qualification and pointed out that, it is only fair that they be accorded all the rights and privileges that accompany the nature of the job they were doing and blamed the civil service system for such ugly situation.
However, the motion did not scale through without stiff opposition from the likes of Hon. Emeka Nwofor of Ngor-Okpala State Constituency who argued that, the entry behaviour of the so called non – tutorial staff was fraudulent, stressing that, teaching goes with passion and that whoever hides his or her education qualification and picks job as a non – educationist has no passion for teaching.
He argued that, teaching is not what one gets from the profession but, what he or she becomes of it, pointing out that, if the people concerned should be converted, they should be properly re-trained, and informed that, past administration used employment to shore up their electoral fortunes and the present administration should not be made to bear the brunt of their illegality.
Consequent upon the interest and controversy generated by the motion, the speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu setup a committee headed by Hon. Victor Ndunagu to look into the possibility of drafting a bill to be passed by the State House of Assembly to help certify and regulate the employment of teachers in the State with the mandate to organize public hearing as well as call for memoranda from the public, especially, from the stakeholders on the way forward.
He disclosed that, the committee would be the most important committee setup by the House in view of the fact that education forms the fulcrum of the present administration and touches every family as well as deals with the future of Imo children and expressed optimism that the members would give the committee their best. Other members of the committee are; Hons Eudora Igwe, Luke Chukwu, Mike Ndubuaku, Stan Dara and Acho Ihim as well as Emeka Nwofor, Adaku Ihuoma and Obioma Ekennia.
The member who represents Ideato – South State Constituency at the State House of Assembly, Hon. Ikechukwu Amuka has been appointed the Chief whip of the Imo State House of Assembly following the resignation of Hon. Ugonna Ozuruigbo (OZB) of Nwangele.
Hon. Amuka’s appointment as the new Chief Whip was announced at plenary by the speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu and has already resumed duties with the clerk of the House directed to adjust his records to reflect the change. Meanwhile, the house has passed a resolution urging the chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to convert the appointment of teachers in the State from “Non – Tutorial Staff” to “Tutorial Staff” so as to be properly placed to enable them earn their requisite remuneration
Hon. Victor Ndunagu of Mbaitoli State Constituency who sponsored the motion argued that, it is not only demoralizing and counter productive but, a great injustice to employ qualified teaches as “Non – Tutorial” and thereafter post them to classrooms to teach without commensurate remuneration, stressing that, based on their experience, justice demands that they should be converted to tutorial staff to give them sense of belonging as well as bring out the best in them.
Supporters of the motion contended that, the people concerned had shown great humility and loyalty by accepting such a situation where their potentials were under-utilized despite their qualification and pointed out that, it is only fair that they be accorded all the rights and privileges that accompany the nature of the job they were doing and blamed the civil service system for such ugly situation.
However, the motion did not scale through without stiff opposition from the likes of Hon. Emeka Nwofor of Ngor-Okpala State Constituency who argued that, the entry behaviour of the so called non – tutorial staff was fraudulent, stressing that, teaching goes with passion and that whoever hides his or her education qualification and picks job as a non – educationist has no passion for teaching.
He argued that, teaching is not what one gets from the profession but, what he or she becomes of it, pointing out that, if the people concerned should be converted, they should be properly re-trained, and informed that, past administration used employment to shore up their electoral fortunes and the present administration should not be made to bear the brunt of their illegality.
Consequent upon the interest and controversy generated by the motion, the speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu setup a committee headed by Hon. Victor Ndunagu to look into the possibility of drafting a bill to be passed by the State House of Assembly to help certify and regulate the employment of teachers in the State with the mandate to organize public hearing as well as call for memoranda from the public, especially, from the stakeholders on the way forward.
He disclosed that, the committee would be the most important committee setup by the House in view of the fact that education forms the fulcrum of the present administration and touches every family as well as deals with the future of Imo children and expressed optimism that the members would give the committee their best. Other members of the committee are; Hons Eudora Igwe, Luke Chukwu, Mike Ndubuaku, Stan Dara and Acho Ihim as well as Emeka Nwofor, Adaku Ihuoma and Obioma Ekennia.
