FAYEMI CONGRATULATES NATIONAL BEST TEACHER, ASUBIOJO

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has congratulated Mr Henry Olaoluwa Asubiojo, a teacher at Amoye Grammar School, Ikere-Ekiti, who emerged the Best Teacher in the country on Monday.

Mr Asubiojo, who was Ekiti State Best Teacher (Secondary School category) in 2019, was announced National Best Teacher in Abuja on Monday as part of activities marking the 2020 World Teachers’ Day.

Governor Fayemi in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, described Asubiojo’s feat as “ highly commendable and heart warming”.

The Governor said he was not surprised at the feat because Asubiojo, had demonstrated the stuff he was made of having emerged the Best Teacher (secondary school category) in Ekiti State, in 2019.

“Excellence, hard work, honesty, honour, integrity are part of the Ekiti values that this administration is restoring in the collective efforts to reposition the state.

“The emergence of Mr Asubiojo as the Best teacher at the national level further reinforces our belief that excellence would always be recognised and celebrated." Dr Fayemi said.

The Governor said his administration would continue to provide enabling environment and platforms for Ekiti sons and daughters to excel in their chosen areas of human endeavours.

Noting that the administration has made huge investments in education, Governor Fayemi said he is happy that the results are showing in the quality of students and teachers in the state’s public schools.

“On behalf of the government and good people of Ekiti State, I congratulate Mr Asubiojo, our worthy ambassador, for this remarkable feat. We look forward to more good news of remarkable achievements from our citizens, even as our government continues to provide conducive environment for citizens to exhibit their God- given talents.” The Governor said

Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) professionals, often called medical laboratory scientist, are vital healthcare detectives, uncovering and providing laboratory information from samples analyses that assist physicians in patient diagnosis and treatment, as well as in disease monitoring or prevention (maintenance of health) and production of vaccines in disease outbreak.

It is sad and disheartening to realize that in a multi faceted profession like MLS, the major direction our lecturers opened our eyes to see is either working as a bench Medical Laboratory Scientists or Lecturing as a Medical Laboratory Science lecturer.

It is terrible to admit that virtually every student of MLS back then was so eager to induct, grab internship opportunity in one big hospital, serve in another well paying hospital as bench scientist as full time scientist running either Electrolyte, Urea and Creatinine, full blood count, mp, MCS and other basic test and also settle down fully as a bench scientist running the same boring routine test for over 35 years of practice till we retired and leave the service. What a very archaic thought in this 21st century!

Well, it’s not our fault but either the fault of Council that has restricted our curriculum to those limited knowledge or our lecturers that could not go extra miles to prove life as a medical Laboratory scientist is worth more than being a bench scientist or a lecturer.

Furthermore, it seems as a Medical Laboratory Scientist we are only cut out for a life of a mediocre, managing and trying to be comfortable which ought not to be. But thanks to exposure I have met Scientists who lives beyond average life and are well to do.

A lot has dawned on me since we left school, I realized every courses we offered from year 3-5 is a resourceful and wealth generating career path on it own. I’m talking about courses like

1. Instrumentation: I have meant scientist who specializes in Laboratory equipment Installation, consultancy, repairs and importation. They have never worked on bench for one day but they are worth millions of Naira and they are independent owning their own company

2. Bioethics: there are scientists working with ethical board units of universities, medical research institutions, Government agencies of ethics. I have seen MLS as consultants on ethics and they are making good pay from it, going in and out of the country.

3. Molecular biology: I have met scientists working in advance molecular lab settings designing primers, using high grade Sequencing machines. I have met Consultants MLS in setting up Molecular Laboratory who are making good money setting up molecular laboratories for government and private agencies

4. Research: I have seen MLS whose focus is medical research related to laboratory, we have so many in this category. They earn National and international grants and are recognized in field of research globally making impact and doing well.

5. Pharmacology/ toxicology: There are also a handful of MLS engaging in Drug testing and clinical trials laboratory with the national and international renowned companies

6. Quality Management and Assurance: A handful of Mls are also making waves in this aspect, and are consultants in quality assurance and assessment, even training other professions on Quality management

7. Medical Laboratory Representatives: The laboratory and diagnostic service is a multi business venture and there are lots of MLS engaged in the area of brand(s) representative, customer service and laboratory service provider.

Other fields includes: Data analysts, public health laboratory specialists, Bioinformatics and many others

Give me a course we offered from year 3-5 and I will tell of opportunities hidden in that courses untapped as there entrepreneurial/professional opportunities in these courses.

However we cannot continue to blame our educational system for our misfortune, but rather we have to realize ourselves and channel our energy than just seeking to work on the laboratory bench alone. Just like the saying it is understandable if your were born poor but it is your decision to stay poor or become wealthy relating it to what we have here, it is reasonable that our lecturers didn’t show us other ways to succeed in MLS other than the laboratory but it is our own decision to make if we would find our way around this or remain slow like they made us.

That’s why I’m charging us to see beyond working on the bench. Let’s arise and do exploits!

Things we can do to change the narratives:

1. Self Development: The truth is we cannot do anything if we don’t intend to develop ourselves beyond the knowledge we obtained in school

Go for training in any area that interest us in MLS, this training we might even have to pay for, some we will be paid just token and others we will not be paid. But all these are just sacrifices to be made for the greater goal e.g Data Analysis to become Data Analysts, laboratory Instrumentation to become a Laboratory instrument specialist especially in currently trending automation, molecular biology to become a molecular scientist, quality management to become a quality officer and manager

2. Image redefinition: After developing yourself, we need to know how to sell ourselves, how to make people realize our worth and ability starts from rearranging your CV and credentials, earn more certificates to boost CV

In conclusion, to live beyond Mediocrity, it is important as Medical Laboratory Scientist to think and act beyond the bench now.

While we want to be on the bench for experience and as a template for better days ahead, we should remember to focus on the big picture and make that move to tapped the fresh vine.

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