After 35 years of serving as a teacher in various schools across Lagos State, Madam Helen Chinwendu Okafor has said she derives great joy and glory from the teaching profession.
In a chat with Vanguard during her retirement party organised by family and colleagues, Mrs. Okafor known as ‘The Great Mentor’, said she was never tired or ashamed of being a teacher.
She started her teaching career at Oluwa Primary School and moved to Wowo Primary School Olodi-Apapa: 1995-1996 and Local Authority Primary School, Ajegunle: 1996-2009. At Z.I Primary School, Olodi Apapa, she rose through the ranks to the position of deputy director/school manager in the Lagos State Ministry of Education.
Speaking of her years as a teacher, Okafor explained: “Today is my retirement celebration after 35 years of service as a teacher in various capacities. I later became a deputy director/school manager at Reservation Primary School, Tolu Complex from 2019 until my retirement this year. So, you see, teaching is not just a passion, it gave me a lot of glory. It helped me in life, marriage, caring for the children, and a lot of good things I cannot recount.”
The former school manager while calling on the government to improve the welfare of teachers, advised teachers to give all in the discharge of their duties.
“The government needs to improve the lives of teachers by increasing their salaries. This will make them happy. And on the part of teachers, especially those on the field, my advice to them is to continue teaching the children using the four Cs – Communication, collaboration, Creativity and Critical thinking. When you use relevant materials to teach them, the children hardly forget. These give them the insight to move higher and make them adjust to life.”
On what is next after retirement, she said she would continue teaching till death.