The New Face Of Education In Rivers

Before the inauguration of this administration, our educational system was in shamble. All our institutions of learning specially the primary and secondary schools, were in a complete state of disrepairs. Dilapidated buildings, with scattered rusted roofs was a common sight in our cities and rural areas. This was mind bugling to all well meaning citizens of the state, indigenes and non-indigenes alike.

   The question on the lips of these people was, is there a government in this state? And if there was, why is education relegated to the background in policy formulation and implementation. Instead the funds meant for this purpose were diverted by government officials and individual for the establishment of juicy private schools that are unaffordable for parents of the less privileged in the society. This marks the beginning of rat race competition for the establishment of private schools in the state.

The trend was so high that every available lands were sought for and acquired. Giving way to indiscriminate establishment of  schools at any available space you can think of in the state capital and its environs. Some of these schools are so beautiful with the state-of-the-arts equipment with exorbitant school fees. All in an attempt to send public schools into extinction. Some of these proprietors and proprietresses are products of these kindergardens which they intend to destroy.

The administration of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi came on board and everything changed with ease. He took the bull by the horns and made things happen in the manner of a magician.

To start with, he declared a state of emergency in the sector. The governor has marched his words with his action by awarding contract for the establishment of a world class international secondary schools, with the state of the arts in each of the 23 local government areas of the state. Some of these are in various stages of completion, with special reference to the one built at Ebubu, in Eleme local government area which was commissioned by His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan recently when he was a on a two-day visit to Rivers State.

The primary sector is not left out as many parts of the state capital and the rural areas where many of the communities have benefited from the building of this modern primary school. Contracts have also been awarded on many other existing dilapidated primary and secondary schools which are undergoing various stages of renovations by various indigenous contractors.

I wish to say bravo, to Honourable Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi for his foresightedness in this sector. This beautiful work will not be complete without the needed number of teaching staff in these schools, especially in the rural areas. Primary and secondary schools lack teaching and non-teaching staff in the rural areas. Some schools (primary and secondary) do not have the required number of teaching staff while their counterparts in Port Harcourt, the state capital and its environs are over staffed. So it is with the non-academic staff,  but in the rural communities, these schools are understaffed with few non-academic staff that cannot meet up the demand of keeping the environment tidy for a conducive learning.

At this point, I wish to appeal to the state government to recruit academic staff as well as non-academic staff for rural schools. For if this is not implemented it will make nonsense of these beautiful schools that have been put in placed. The environment of these schools must be kept clean, the lawns, play grounds, the football field, classrooms, the convenience etc, all these need maintenance. Remember, these schools are tagged, “the green schools”, in Rivers State.

Katah is a student of Mass Communication Department, RSUST, Nkpolu.

Kingsley Katal