Delta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, has said his administration will not compromise on quality and competitive education as an educated population is prerequisite for productivity and economic growth.

The Governor gave the assurance yesterday when he graced the first convocation ceremony of the Delta State College of Physical Education, Mosogar, Delta State as the Visitor to the institution.

According to Okowa, “The delivery of quality, competitive education is one of the cardinal programmes of our S.M.A.R.T agenda because, the goal of this administration is to ensure that every citizen is provided the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills required to be successful in life.”

While congratulating the graduates who were conferred with Nigerian Certificate of Education (NCE), Governor Okowa disclosed that teachers have a lot of roles to play in making the society better.

“A teacher does not just mould the child, he moulds the society, hence, great care must be paid to your (teacher’s) private and public conduct, utterances and lifestyle choices,” Governor Okowa said.

He pointed out that a corrupt teacher carries a very destructive influence on the child and society at large.

According to him, “There is no gain saying the fact that some of our most influential role models in life are teachers; many of us have fond memories of our teachers, decades after we left school; their impact on our lives is so strong, many times we see life through their teachings and destiny shaping words.”

The Governor challenged the graduates to always improve on themselves, saying: “Graduating does not mean that learning has come to an end; it means that you are now responsible for your own learning, the day you stop learning, you start dying and you must make it a priority to regularly update and upgrade your knowledge and skills for greater output, impact and effectiveness.”

while noting that the institution is currently running NCE programmes in School of Education, School of Vocational Education, School of Science, School of Art and Social Sciences, the Governor amidst a thunderous applause announced that an amendment bill to change the name to College of Education, Mosogar would be sent to the Delta State House of Assembly.

He however remarked that “even when we change the name, to College of Education, Mosogar, it should be a center for sports development as originally conceived.”

The Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Senator Ighoyota Amori, had thanked Governor Okowa for constituting the governing council for the College, and called for a change of name for the institution to be called, College of Education, Mosogar.

Another request by Senator Amori for government to provide a 2.5MVA electricity transformer for Mosogar community was also granted by Governor Okowa.

Earlier in a welcome address, the Provost of the College, Prof. Emmanuel Ojeme, thanked Governor Okowa for providing the enabling environment for the first convocation to take place thirteen years after the College was established, stating that 1, 181 students graduated from the College.

Honorary fellowship awards was presented to some prominent Deltans.

•Photo shows Governor Okowa.