The Proprietor of Precious
Stones Montessori School, Port Harcourt, Engr. Chibuzo Chibuokem, has identified dearth of competent teachers, especially in Mathematics and the Sciences in the country as one of the key challenges the school has to contend with.
Another major challenge, he explained, is multiple taxation by various groups claiming to represent one level of government or the other.
Engineer Chibuokem, who stated this onFriday, in an exclusive interview during the school’s Graduation/Award-giving Ceremony, said lack of enough teachers in Mathematics and Science subjects in the country was a major challenge.
“The major challenges we have is getting good, qualified and committed teachers. In fact, Mathematics and Science teachers are scarce.
“Many of them (teachers) can teach Arts subjects, but not Mathematics or the sciences,” he said.
In order to check the trend, he explained, “we have to groom the teachers in sciences and Mathematics.  We bring people to teach our teachers in Maths and sciences.”
Explaining the challenge of multiple taxation, the proprietor said various people claiming to be officials of various parts of government demand and collect the same tax from the school.
“Ministry of Health, Environmental Sanitation, Local Government, all come for exactly the same thing. These challenges are capable of affecting the school’s quest to achieve its vision, which is to lay concrete foundation in the life of every child, spiritually, mentally, socially and psychologically, and set them on proper path for global distinction,” he said.
However, Engr. Chibuokem said, the school had been able to achieve some of its visions so far. According to him, graduands of the school have excelled in various academic and other pursuits.
“In the 2014/2015 academic year, our pupils came tops in the whole Rivers State in Mathematics competition. So, our child is the Rivers champion of Rivers Man Mathematics Competition,” he said.
Engr. Chibuokem also noted that a graduand from the school also came tops in the last Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) examination.
On her part, chairman of the Parents, Teachers Association (PTA) of the school, Mrs. Vera Benjamin confirmed the standard of the school in terms of bringing out good products.
According to her, it is in recognition of this that the PTA decided to give awards and prizes to pupils and teachers who have contributed to the success story of the school.
“We decided to encourage the teachers by giving them prizes/gifts, and also to some of our children who excelled in their academics, especially in Maths and English,” she said.

Sogbeba Dokubo