By PATRICK TITUS
Education is known globally to be the bedrock of any society; the most cherished legacy to bequeath on a people and the main determinant of a society’s collective future. No doubt, the new economy today is the knowledge economy.
It is the best antidote to poverty, unemployment, superstition and other manifestations of the underdevelopment.
In Akwa Ibom State, like in other states in Nigeria, various administrations have made efforts to address the teething challenges facing public education system, so as to change the narrative where it is perceived that, the worst private school is better than the best public school. This perception may be true in-spite of governments’ huge investments such as regular payment of teachers who are all professionals unlike in some private schools, where the numbers of teachers employed are untrained.
The perception thus, makes learning in private schools most sought after by the well-to-do class in the society for their children education, while the other class send their children to public schools because they cannot afford the cost.
Findings revealed that despite government investments such as regular payment of teachers salary and other incentives, as in the case of Akwa Ibom State, where government provides free and compulsory education from primary to secondary school levels, pays subvention to schools’ heads for the running of the schools, and yearly payment of WAEC enrollment fees, most of these schools still don’t worth the salt due to lack of effective supervision and monitoring, quality control and assurance as well as the political will of ensuring that the system meets the need.
Former governor of the state, His Excellency, Obong Victor Attah once said, “Education in Nigeria and in all the states is either without a purpose or only designed, as in colonial times, to produce people to meet job needs in the economy. Educational plans either do not exist or are not followed at all. Thus, although education at the primary level is supposed to be universal and free, the reality is a different matter.”
Giving thought to these contexts, his avowed commitment and determination to make the difference and change the narrative in the education system in Akwa Ibom State as a critical sector and the pivotal role it will play in his vision to pilot the State into a Golden Era, that the Governor, His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno entered into a social contract with Akwa Ibomites when he assumed office as the 5th democratically elected governor of the state, and the 9th after creation.
On July 24, 2023 at Ibom Icon Hotel & Golf Resorts, Uyo, during the Akwa Ibom Dialogue and formal launch of The ARISE Agenda, Governor Eno in his 27 paragraphs’ speech, declared his administration commitment to rejig the education sector and make it worth its salt. This, he said, “We shall build model schools, remodel dilapidated school structures, prioritize training and the retraining of teachers, promote improved learning standards, and privatize vocational and technical education.”
The ARISE Agenda is a detailed and well – articulated governance document, an economic blueprint of Gov Umo Eno. Recall during the launch, the former Minister of Budget and National Planning- Distinguished Senator Udoma Udo Udoma was the Chairman on the occasion. Other policy experts who were invited, lent their expertise in distilling and deepening the layers of the document.
Gov Eno governance charter and commitment to reposition the education sector in the state for excellence according to him, is to give Akwa Ibom students what they need to compete favourably with their contemporaries within and outside Nigeria. This implies that his administration will put in place a new school system that will raise global leaders of tomorrow in public administration, science and technology.
A system that will among others, inculcate learning and skills that will promote productive citizenship, economic well-being and technical consciousness, and to strengthen the self-identity of the indigenes of the state, their self worth and pride in a competitive federation and the world at large.
To set the ball rolling, the Governor initiated an idea and moved in to build 10 model primary schools, one in each of the 10 ten federal constituencies that constitute Akwa Ibom State. Uyo federal constituency was picked for the pilot scheme with the age-long Christ The King Primary School located on Wellington Bassey being favoured. It is now called remodeled Christ The King Primary School.
Wearing the look of the master edifies in the heart of Uyo, the school has 20 class rooms, teachers quarters, head master’s office with conference hall, staff room, general hall, library, solar power system to ensure constant electricity supply, borehole with overhead tank, two playgrounds (one for pupils below four years, another for older ones) and clinic among other facilities.
While it is now ready for inauguration within few days, remodeling works ongoing in selected primary schools in the remaining nine federal constituencies. This again, is heartwarming to the people of the state as it will provide a serene learning environment for our tomorrow’s leaders, better incentives as the state government has also procured school uniforms to be distributed to own primary schools across the state.
With such best possible learning environment, and new way of teachers motivation, it is expected that increase in the enrollment of pupils in public primary schools will increase.
At the secondary schools level, the state government had signed pact with London Borough of Southwark, United kingdom to commence exchange programmes in education with 31 students selected from public secondary schools across the 31 local government areas of the state already examine to travel to UK for the programme. To join in the oversee training are some principals selected from public schools in the state
According the State’s Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the partnership between Akwa Ibom state and the Borough of Southwark is aimed at providing new opportunities for people of both spaces in different sectors.
The two governments entered into the partnership when Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, played host to a delegation from the Southwark Council, led by the Mayor, Mr. Michael Situ at Government House, Uyo.
The delegation were in the State to finalize arrangements for the exchange programme and other mutually beneficial ventures in areas of education, business, sports and tourism.
Welcoming the Mayor and his entourage to the State, Governor described Situ’s visit as a demonstration of integrity and commitment to the exchange deal and reaffirmed the commitment of the State Government to fulfilling their own side of the partnership obligations with utmost transparency.
Governor Eno, who said the intent for the programme is to give an oversea exposure to some bright but not-so-privileged Akwa Ibom children and encourage them to believe in hard work, commended the Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong, for his effort in bringing the vision to fruition.
Justifying the funding for the programme amidst scourging economic indices, the governor said though the cost may be high due to unfavorable exchange rates, the human capital development investment for the state and the benefits for Akwa Ibom Children outweighs the cost.
Governor Eno assured the Southwark Council of the integrity of Akwa Ibom people, explaining that modalities have been put in place to ensure the return of everyone in due time, affirming that the programme will not just be a one-off thing.
“I can guarantee on our honour that every child and member of staff that will leave to the UK, will return. That is the commitment I have made because we hope to make this a continuous thing”.
The Governor therefore proposed a forum of Akwa Ibom-Southwark business communities to help explore opportunities for investments between the two entities, assuring of his administration’s commitment to maintain the State’s prestige in sports and tourism as having the only FIFA certified stadium in Nigeria, to encourage partnership in sports.
Earlier, Michael Situ lauded the ingenuity of the government and people of Akwa Ibom State for not only indicating interest to partner his government for exchange programmes but taking steps at a very impressive pace to concretize the partnership, describing Governor Umo Eno’s leadership as service oriented.
He said, “when we all think of ourselves as being here for service, the job of governance becomes very simple in the sense that your focal point becomes what will really benefit the people and how to address their issues and concerns”.
Mayor Situ said schools in the London Borough of Southwark that have been scheduled for the exchange programme were already excited about it and expressed optimism that the people of Southwark, especially those of African decent, will be excited to also have opportunity to visit Akwa Ibom for interactions in culture, sports and other areas of interest, affirming his satisfaction with the infrastructure and ambience in the state.
To fine-tune the process for exchange programme, the Information boss Comrade Emembong facilitated interactions between the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Idongesit Etiebet, Heads of Schools, Local Government Councils and other stakeholders with the Southwark delegation tagged: Education Skills Upscaling Workshop”
The State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Idongesit Etiebet, engaged the Mayor of London Borough of Southwark, Michael Situ, with Mr Bromfield in a policy review meeting.
She expressed hope that Gov Umo Eno’s vision to improve the standard of education in the state was yielding desired results and will continue as more strategic collaborations are expected.
During the technical sessions, the Senior Education Advisor of Southwark Council, United Kingdom, David Bromfield as a resource person, took the principals and other participants on Leadership in Education and Curriculum Inspection.
Bromfield introduced viable ways to administer leadership among teaching staff and evolve new methods of curriculum development that will yield positive results in general performance.
He encouraged the principals to imbibe change in policies and administration, while obeying the tenets of authentic and transformational leadership in their respective schools.
The Southwark Council’s Senior Education Adviser, however advised the teachers, saying, “The duty of a teacher is to teach students how to find the right answers to the questions that life puts out and as heads of schools you have a duty to help teachers to under take this all important assignment.”
Some of the principals, when interviewed commended the state governor, Pastor Umo Eno for prioritizing education in his administration’s blueprint – ARISE Agenda.
Principal of Government Secondary School, Ukat, Onna local government, Mr. Abasiama Effiong Peters said the two-day sessions have been very rewarding. It has exposed them to ways schools are managed in United kingdom, that besides the few number of students in a class compare to what we have here, effective supervision and monitoring of both teachers and students are given prominent.
“As a Principal, I will ensure more monitoring and supervision of both teachers and students’ works to make them work better so as to effectively justify why they there as teachers and as students. I will also initiate award of excellence to best performing teacher and student to encourage hard work.
“Another important thing that has really excited me personally is the programme itself where only brilliant students have been selected to travel abroad for the programme. Seeing fellow students travel abroad, will encourage competitiveness among the remaining students to be more studious in order to make next list of selected students.
“Again, for the fact that the selection was done on merit, I must sincerely commend the state governor and others behind this great idea of giving hope even to the lowest in the society.” Mr Peters said.
“However, the two-day sessions have been very rewarding. We have learnt more new things especially in the management of schools and curriculum development. These we hope to domesticate them in our schools system.” He added
For Mr Bassey Edet who also participated in the 2-day workshop, he said, “We are also expecting to be engaged in exchange programmes with schools in UK, courtesy of the state government. This, we believe will play out more in the quality of students graduating from our public schools in the the state as new things would be introduced in the school curriculum.”
While the state government has declared her commitment and right passion, and taken bold steps to make a difference in the lives of our future leaders and foster brighter future for Akwa Ibom state, it also calls for collaborative spirit from everyone as stakeholder in order to bring about positive impact and shared success. It’s a Golden Opportunity towards a Golden Era, let’s reason together, build together. AkwaAbasi Ibom State.
