BY CLETUS NGWODO
The Delta State Government has admonished parents to take advantage of the free education in the state to register their children and wards in public primary schools in the next academic session.
Chairman, Delta State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Hon Samuel Mariere gave the admonition at Obiaruku, headquarters of Ukwuani Local Government Area in continuation of the board’s engagement with critical stakeholders in the public primary education system across the 25 local government areas of the state.
Mariere said that education at the primary level is totally free in all the public schools in the state, noting that the state Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori has ordered full implementation of the policy.
The SUBEB boss, who advised parents to take advantage of the government’s gesture to save their scarce resources for other needs, reminded them that the next academic year starts in a few weeks’ time and urged all to make good use of the opportunity to lay a good foundation for their children and wards.
Mariere disclosed that Governor Oborevwori’s reforms at the public primary education subsector were already yielding results, said the target is to bring back quality and high standards as it were in the old glorious days of public primary education in the country.
He explained that the ongoing training and retraining of teachers is to improve performances in the schools and would continue under his leadership to enhance quality in the education sector.
The SUBEB boss enjoined community leaders to help select people with interest in education as members of the School Based Management Committee, saying that the SBMC was an initiative to further promote quality assurance and enforce discipline and standards in public primary schools in the state.
Mariere informed the stakeholders that a provision of N7 Billion was made for construction of new block of classrooms, renovations of old ones and provision of school furniture in this year’s budget, adding that special training for head teachers on grade level 15 would commenced in few weeks’ time.
Chairman, Ukwuani local government, Mr Possible Ajede assured the board of collaboration to raise standards in public primary schools in the locality while the Secretary, Local Education Authority in the local government area, Mr Monday Onakpoma, described the stakeholders meeting as one of its kind and commended the ongoing reforms in the state’s public primary schools
The Okpala-uku of Obiaruku kingdom, Jacob Egwunatum assured the board that communities in the local government area would support the government reforms and offered prayers to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to succeed in his lofty plans for the state.
Mariere was accompanied by the three members of the board, including Mr. Chukwuemeka Uwadia, Delta North, Onome Akporere, Delta Central and Mrs. Josephine Ejheren, Delta South and the Permanent Secretary Subeb, Mr Bryan Unini, among others.
