The Association of Primary School Headteachers of Nigeria (AOPSHON) has described the Rivers State educational system as world-class which other states of the federation are silently emulating.

The Chairman of the Association, Rivers State Chapter, Comrade Tennyson Amadi, stated this in an address at the 10th Annual National Workshop for Headteachers and Teachers in Port Harcourt, Wednesday.

Comrade Amadi, who described school building renovation in Rivers State as a taboo, said that it is total pulling down of old and dilapidated buildings and erecting a world-class edifice with state-of-the-arts facilities that cannot be compared with any primary school in Nigeria.

He recalled that in 2008, the Governor of Rivers State, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi, enlivened the lives of primary school teachers by taking over the payment of all salaries and allowances from the local government councils.

The Chairman of AOPSHON acknowledged that the training and retraining of about 3000 teachers in Rivers State has improved the teaching and managerial skills of teachers.

He expressed optimism that primary school teachers would attain the status of Permanent Secretary since they also possess Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate Degrees.

He explained that “Rivers 2011 with its theme: “Basic Education: Place in the National Transformation Agenda – The Head Teachers Challenges,” was very apt because most of the teachers are yet to comprehend which direction Nigerian educational system is heading to in transformation agenda of the present administration.

He maintained that the theme also became necessary concerning the roles the Head teachers have to play in the current dispensation especially where they are faced with so much challenges ranging from unstable school cumculum, non-engagement of head teachers in policy formulation and massive politicisation of education which the end product is mass failure at the upper level of our educational system, as well as the use of ICT.

His words: “We have chosen to practise teaching at the lowest rungs of service to humanity, the lowest of education profession, the sorriest in incentive and motivational encouragements, yet the most noble of all the professions world over”.

He, therefore, appealed to the government to release the domesticated curriculum for use in primary schools as well as reconstitution of local government education authorities to properly manage schools as provided in the edict establishing UBEB.

The AOPSHON chairman, who is also the Head teacher of State Primary School, Rumueme, said the challenge encountered last September was the influx of pupils from private schools from that area.

He disclosed to our  correspondent that he recorded population of about 1000 pupils while the facilities available were meant for 300 only, stressing that the rest were asked to leave.

He, therefore, urged the government to put up storey buildings to utilise the available spaces since good things must attract more people.

Another challenge he maintained, was the reformation of the children since some of them come from poor background. He recalled a situation where some pupils come to school even at 9.00am when first lesson might have been taught.

He advised government to evolve a policy where children would be picked up while loitering during school periods, keep them somewhere while their parents / guardians would be meant to pay fines or be prosecuted, because according to him, “It is child abuse”.

He emphasised that provision of car loans to head teachers would also ease their mobility stressing that government should have confidence in the head teachers by giving imprest grants and duty post allowances for minor expenses instead of running to the ministry for every little maintenance.

“To the head teachers and workshop participants, he said, it is pertinent to know that our challenges and added responsibilities  which gave supervisory role over our teachers and the academic performance of our pupils lie squarely on our ability to manage both human and material resources at our disposal.

“The teaching profession is our treasure and heritage that we need to guard jealously from crumbling. We must show the way with our wealth of experience,” he emphasised.

Mr Amadi enjoined the headteachers to guide their teachers aright urging them to strive for high ethical standard and good work ethics.

Eunice Choko-Kayode