The Delta State Ministry of Education has received no less than 47,000 applications for the 1,000 teaching positions slated for rural and riverine areas for a minimum of five years in the first instance.

The State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, who revealed this, explained that it is not a good thing to employ workers the State cannot pay at the end of the month. The administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, he said, is committed to prompt payment of worker’s salaries.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner stated that education in the state has taken a new dimension in enhancing welfare of teachers to boost their morale for effective service delivery.

“We have introduced Annual Teacher's Award for which N7.5 million has been budgeted for the award of at least twelve teachers and school heads in four categories,” Ebie said.

While responding to questions from journalists, Ebie highlighted the challenges facing the Ministry to include some schools in the state engaging in unauthorised collection of levies and fees from students, vandalisation of school facilities by unknown persons and teachers refusal to serve in rural and riverine areas. All these, he said, have to be revisited to move the education system forward.