Rivers’ll Witness Boom In Education, Wike Assures

Sogbeba Dokubo

The education sector in Rivers State will be given priority attention that would enhance a boom in the next four years under the stewardship of Governor Nyesom Wike.

The governor made this declaration at the weekend during the 30th Convocation ceremony of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Choba, near Port Harcourt.

Represented by his Deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, the governor stated that the ultimate vision of his administration, as elucidated in a blueprint, is to build a new Rivers State in which “every child, everywhere, should be in school”.

“Our administration will ensure effective implementation of the Universal Basic Education Scheme, including giving priority attention to pre-primary and special unit education.

“All Secondary, Technical, and Vocational Schools will be equipped and served appropriately to function optimally”, the governor said.

Towards executing the afore stated, the governor explained that re-introducing boarding system in Secondary Schools will be the bedrock.

“The re-introduction of the boarding system into our public school system is key in our priority for the education sector.

“We will give due attention to the training retraining and general welfare of  teachers, motivate and reward teachers and principals who deliver genuine improvement in their schools.

“From the fore-going, our administration envisons a state that is a knowledge-based society and its knowledge-driven.

“We reserve firm determination to give serious attention to the provision of quality education for all be retrogressively improving budgetary allocations to the education sector”, he said.

The implication, as the governor puts it, is that determined and planed efforts will be made to ensure that expenditure on the education sector will be seen to yield desired results.

“I wish to reiterate that the era of throwing money at public education without desired result is over,” Wike said.

Such priority on the state’s educational sector, he continued, will be extended to the federal educational institutions in the state.

While also promising to partner with the new law faculty of the University, Wike congratulated the graduands, including the honorary graduands for their contributions to the University.

In his address at the occasion, the Visitor to the University, President Muhammadu Buhari, promised that his administration will focus on improving tertiary education in the country.

“This administration will continue to support the Nigerian University system in ensuring that learning, teaching and research facilities are constantly upgraded, up-to-date, and globally competitive”, he said.

Buhari was represented by the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Universities Commission (NUC) Professor Julius Okojie.

The school graduated a total of 18,664 students, comprising 13,393 under graduates, and 5,271 post-graudates, out of which 441 obtained PhD.

Culled from www.thetidenewsonline.com