Chief press Secretary to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Mr Charles Aniagwu, has said that the state government’s resolve to provide quality education is unshakable.
The governor’s aide said this in a statement on Saturday in Asaba while reacting to the posting of a video on the social media of Success Adegor, a pupil of Okotiebor Primary School, Sapele in Delta State, who was sent home by the head teacher for non-payment of school fees.
He said that since the inception of the Okowa administration, it had paid special attention to the improvement of education in the State particularly in the upgrade of infrastructure and retraining of teachers and instructors.
“Since the last one week when the story of our dear little Success broke and went viral, we have watched and read divergent views on the subject matter.
“While we appreciate those who have genuinely expressed concern on the issue and assured such persons of our determination to further strengthen our efforts in re-positioning our school system in Delta.
“We make bold to say that we will not be distracted by those who wish to take advantage of the situation to advance their personal gains,” Aniagwu said.
He said it was important to restate that the government runs free education at both primary and secondary school levels in all public schools.
“Therefore, any staff of government who engages in acts that undermine the good intentions of government cannot be spared of appropriate sanctions.
“We acknowledge that we are yet to fix all the schools.
“It is pertinent to state that the Okowa-led administration since assumption of office, has built and reconstructed more than 4,000 classroom blocks and provided furniture, learning and instructional materials to public schools in the state to make them conducive and competitive with the private schools.
“The government has equally trained and retrained teachers in its employ to make them adapt to modern teaching techniques, hence the establishment of an ultra modern Teachers Training Institute at Owa-Oyibu Ika North-East LGA of the state.
He said that government also placed recruitment advert to fill vacancies created by retirements in recent times.
“In this regards, the government has directed the Post Primary Education Board (PPEB) to advertise for the recruitment of qualified teachers in critical areas such as the sciences.”