When Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State assumed office and announced the introduction of a free and compulsory education, the decision was gladly received by all and accepted as a welcome development. On that day, indigenes of the state that never heard the exciting news, when it was first announced, became friends to their radio and TV sets.

Those of them who were outside the state were forced to call their friends and relatives at home with their cell phones. Those of them who were not lucky enough to own radio or television sets were forced to run to opinion leaders in their communities. They ran to opinion leaders in their local communities, but not at night like the biblical Nicodemus. They all aimed at one thing. They wanted to confirm and ascertain if the announcement about the state government free and compulsory education policy was a reality. They needed to confirm this because rumour forms part of human life. We live and wake up with it.

With introduction of a free and compulsory education in the state, some parents started searching for the phone numbers of people they had given out their children to. Where these phone numbers did not go, some parents had to travel to the cities to look for their children. The introduction of a free and compulsory education in the state made some parents embark on a lease back. In fact the desire by some parents to bring back their children home made them empty their pockets just to transport their adult children to different cities where their young children were serving as house boys and girls.

As was expected, some of these youths rose up to the challenge and embarked on the errand. Those of them who could not succeed at first attempt were made to embark on a second “Missionary Journey”. It was an uncompromising mission, a mission to be achieved at all cost.

From then on, the percentage of Akwa Ibom children hawking in the state capital Uyo and those serving as house boys and girls in different cities in Nigeria drastically reduced. They returned home with one aim in mind: to benefit from what they saw as the generosity of the state government, they returned home to benefit from the free and compulsory education policy of the state government. It was the first of its kind.

Some of these homeward bound children could imagine themselves reading different books, speaking ‘Good English’; not ‘Pidgin English’ this time around and writing with legible handwriting. Their parents could not stop to imagine their children reading letters that could come from their elderly children from the cities, helping them fill their bank withdrawal slip and even filling their pension scheme forms. They knew their dream of having literate children was fast becoming a reality. They have one person to thank, the state governor.

The desire to have formal education was one thing parents in Akwa Ibom State really sought after. Both the poor and rich sought for it with utmost desire, as formal education had eluded them for years. They had a strong desire to have their children acquire formal education; it was a legacy to leave behind for their children not only plot of land and small buildings, but to leave behind a lasting legacy, the legacy of formal education, a ‘priceless legacy’

However, despite the introduction of the free and compulsory education policy in Akwa Ibom, the Godswill Akpabio led administration still has a lot of work to do in this regard in order to consolidate on the policy and make it a continuous process. The state government should put functional measures on ground that will safeguard its free and compulsory education policy and make it a lasting legacy. The free and compulsory education policy of the state government should be formally passed into law so as to leave a sustainable education policy that would leave behind a lasting educational policy for our generation yet unborn, a legacy that every Akwa Ibom child shall come to benefit from. When the free and compulsory education policy is passed into law, any administration that assumes office after Governor Godswill Akpabio will have no other option but to respect and continue to implement it.  This is because one day an administration that is not “education friendly” may assume office in the state and may choose to kick into abyss the state verbal free and compulsory education policy.

Also, the state government should ensure that the free and compulsory education policy is implemented to its fullest by providing sufficient budgetary allocation for education in the state’s yearly fiscal policy. This will give education a high priority in the scheme of things in the state and enable the free education policy work optimally. This will also enable the state government provide such things as exercise books and text books for students in public schools.

It is noteworthy that since the Akwa Ibom State government introduced the free education scheme, the number of enrolment into public schools have witnessed tremendous increase. The state government should endeavour to employ more competent teachers that will teach and acquaint our students with knowledge in different subjects both at the primary and secondary levels.

The state government should try and curb the activities of anti-free education teachers, principals, headmasters and school heads who are bent on extorting money from students in the name of “maintenance fee” ‘hand work’ etc. If possible, they should be sacked. This will serve as a deterrent to others. The future of our children is more precious and priceless than the greedy urge of this self-centered teachers, principals, school heads etc.

The Akpabio –led government in Akwa Ibom State should learn from its predecessor. After winning election for a second term in office, Akpabio’s predecessor, Obong Victor Attah announced the introduction of free education in the state from primary one to junior secondary three. Unfortunately, this policy was never implemented because it was poorly formulated and under funded. This should not be the fate of the prevailing free and compulsory education policy in the state.

Also, the Akwa Ibom State government should upgrade the salary structure of public school teachers so as to save them from the financial lure of teaching in private primary and secondary schools. This will make them hold unto their jobs in public primary and secondary schools. It is a well known fact that most teachers in private primary and secondary schools were lured from public schools. They left public schools for private schools due to poor motivation and job satisfaction, typical of most public schools.

When teachers from public schools in the state are financially motivated and guaranteed optimum job satisfaction, they will have no other excuse but to put in their very best in teaching and satisfying the academic needs of their pupils. With this, our public schools in Akwa Ibom will be able to compete favourably with their counterparts in private secondary and primary schools.

Every Akwa Ibom Child has a right to be educated, therefore, private individuals, companies N.G.O’s must rise up to complement the efforts of the state government in making every Akwa Ibom child acquire functional formal education that will make them have confidence in themselves. Rise up to defend and fight for their rights when occasion demands. The quest by Akwa Ibom State government to give every Akwa Ibom child qualitative education should never be compromised at any cost.

The present generation of Akwa Ibom children and the generation yet unborn are watching us. They may never forgive us if we fail them in this regard. We cannot afford to fail them. This is the best gift we can give to them.

Philip is an intern with The Tide.

Faith Philip