Quality Assurance Agency Bill Enters Committee Stage

Following the third appearance of the Rivers State Education Quality Assurance Agency Bill on the floor of  the state assembly, after its repackaging, the proposed law has moved smoothly into the committee stage of enactment.

The Speaker of the House Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Amachree who committed the bill to the Education Standing Committee cited order 45, rule two of the Assembly proceedings to direct the committee to organise public hearing, and ellicit inputs from stakeholders as well as the public to enrich the law.

Hon. Amachree urged the committee to carry out the duties diligently and report back to the House in two weeks, adding that the public complaints committee should equally concluded all matters pending before it and report at the next adjourned date August 13, 2012.

Contributing to the debate, House Leader Hon. Chidi Lloyd, said the objective of the bill is for proper supervision of schools if the State government would achieve its intention of making the State an education destination in Nigeria.

Hon. Lloyd opined that the achievement of Affective, Psycho-motor and cognitive domains in education would be realised through curriculum harmonization inteaching and learning in the state.

On his part, Hon. Ikuinyi Ibani, Andoni and Hon. Nname Ewor, Ahoada East constituency 1, said the third journey of the bill has met requirements for legislative action, noting that the only way to solve some of the societal problems was to address quality education at the foundation.

Hon. Onari Brown, Akuku-Toru constituency 1, observed that the bill seeks to sustain the infrastructural facilities provided by the State government in the various schools, stressing that without supervision and monitoring the quality education intended would be a mirage.

Also contributing, Hon. Augustine Ngo, representing Abua/Odual constituency, said the bill intends to raise the bar in education and the lawmakers have a responsibility to prepare the children of Rivers State for future development.

Hon. Ngo, hinted that the quality of products of some public and private schools in the state, gives cause for concern hence the bill to provide any agency to regulate the schools for better performance.