Nigeria's Future Depends on Free Education - Okorocha

Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, says Nigeria’s future can be guaranteed if all tiers of government introduce free education at all levels.

Governor Okorocha also revealed that Imo State is building the first ever Marine University at Oguta and a College of Health Technology that is almost completed at Orlu, where degrees in nursing will be awarded.

He disclosed this while distributing free educational materials to benefitting schools, as well as flag off of Cluster Schools Model Teachers Professional Training Programme at the State Universal Basic Education Board [SUBEB] headqarters, Owerri.

He restated his administration’s determination to provide free and qualitative education at all levels in the state, pointing out that there is no better way of guaranteeing a secure and prosperous future than ensuring that every child is given the opportunity of acquring qualitative education.

Apart from providing free education at all levels, building 305 modern classroom blocks across the state, regular payment of teachers salaries and allowances, Okorocha also explained that his dream for Imo is “to be number one in education in Nigeria, where other states will come to copy as a model”.

The Governor, who outlawed the existence of Parents Teachers Association, PTA in all schools in the state, however reversed himself as he announced the establishment of what he called “Parents Teachers Child Assessment Programme [PTCAP] to offer the needed relationship between teachers and parents to discuss the welfare of their wards”.

He warned that government will not tolerate indolence among teachers, stressing that government will continue to monitor students and teachers attendance to school.

In her address of welcome, the Chairman, Imo State Universal Basic Education Board, Mrs. Gertrude Oduka, said the event was to flag off the distribution of 798,352 volumes of text books in varios subjects as instructional materials to Imo children in addition to 8,588 tables and 34,352 chairs for early child care developmenmt programme [ECCD].

The SUBEB chairman disclosed that the board has in place for the first phase learning, 42 cluster of 420 schools made up of 2100 participants comprising of 42 head teachers as centre managers, 42 local government education authority supervisors in addition to 42 Board staff.