Governor Alex Otti has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to reforms in the education sector, describing education as “the foundation for sustainable development”.

Mr Otti said this on Wednesday, when  the East Regional Working Committee of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, led by its chairman, Nweke Odo, visited him in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South LGA.

The governor said that education remained central to his administration’s development strategy, adding that the progress of any society depended largely on the quality of its educational foundation.

He thanked the union for recognising what he described as the “government’s modest efforts at improving education and other sectors” in the state.

Mr Otti explained that the Abia government had consistently devoted one-fifth of its annual budget to education “because of its impact on human development and societal progress”.

Mr Otti assured the delegation that the Abia government would consider their requests for a bus and the completion of the Teachers’ House, amongst others.

Mr Odo commended the Abia governor for his “remarkable interventions” in the education sector in Abia.

Mr Odo said that the committee represented teachers from the nine states of the old Eastern Region, namely Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi, Cross River, Rivers and Bayelsa.

Mr Odo said the committee’s visit was intended to appreciate his administration’s efforts.

Mr Odo said that the governor’s allocation of 20 per cent of the state budget to education, teacher recruitment, and the settlement of salary arrears had significantly improved teachers’ welfare in Abia.

“The recruitment of 5,300 teachers and the ongoing recruitment of an additional 4,000 mean that within a short time you assumed office, 9,300 teachers have been engaged. It is overwhelming,” said Mr Odo.

He also commended the State Government for the regular payment of salaries and  settlement of 17 months’ salary arrears owed to teachers by the previous administration.

Mr Odo further hailed the government for the construction of smart schools and for approving a harmonised retirement age of 65 years or 40 years of service for teachers.

He urged other governors in the region to emulate Otti’s commitment to education and assured the governor of the continued support of teachers in Abia and across the eastern region.

(NAN)