Commissioner Harps On Importance Of Education

Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Prof Chinedu Mmom, has described education as a veritable tool for growth and development of any society.
The commissioner stated this, last Monday, when he paid a familiarisation visit to the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board (RSUBEB), Port Harcourt.
A press statement signed by the Chief Press Officer of the Rivers Universal Basic Education Board in Port Harcourt, Okechukwu Geoffrey, quoted the commissioner as saying that a lot can be achieved, if all hands were on deck, maintaining that the board was one of the places he considered very paramount to visit, having heard enough of its good works.
While commendingthe board under FynefaceAkah for the wonderful work they were doing, the commissioner said the purpose of the visit was to collaborate and synergise with the board to take the education sector in the state to a higher pedestal.
According to him, the time may appear limited but little is much when God’s hands are in it, assuring that “even within the limited time and resources, we can make impact with the cooperation of the board”.
Mmom further hinted that he has hit the ground running by setting up a committee on Needs Assessment of the public schools in the state with junior and senior secondary schools inclusive, pointing out that the vision of his principal (governor) was to make education in the state the envy of others.
He, therefore, thanked the state governor for the confidence reposed in him to serve at this point.
The commissioner maintained that the recent quiz competition he witnessed has proved that public schools can do better contrary to people’s believe, and promised that his ministry would not hesitate to carry out training and retraining of teachers.
He described training and retraining of teachers as very necessary as it would impact positively on the children as they would be returning to school in September, and thanked the board for the warm reception accorded him and his entourage.
Earlier in his welcome speech, the Executive Chairman of the State UBE Board, Ven. Fyneface Akah, had described the commissioner’s familiarisation visit as the very first from the ministry since he (Akah) assumed office.
He told the commissioner that the board was part of a SERVICOM system of the Federal Ministry of Education and Universal Basic Education Commission, saying that the board was structured along that line as its parent body(Ministry of Education).
He promised to work with the commissioner so as to deliver on the mandate given to them by the governor.
On the work scope,Akah said under the 2005 law establishing the board,it has not reneged in carrying out the work of administration and organisation of teaching and learning in schools.
According to him, “as board, we are committed to discreet implementation of these statutory responsibilities”, and reaffirmed the readiness of the board to work together with the commissioner to achieve set goals.
Akah also thanked the state Governor, Chief NyesomWike, for the provision of funds, and told the commissioner that the good news about Rivers SUBEB was that since he assumed office seven years ago, the board has been part of the first five on the radar of performing SUBEBs in Nigeria, adding that the state was up-to-date in different aspects, including the World Bank/Federal Ministry Education and the UBEC BESDA initiative, which is aimed at curbing the scourge of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
In his vote of thanks, Commissioner, Administration at the board’sheadquarters, Chief Faith Amaso, expressed happiness for the visit, and lauded the education commissioner for deeming it necessary to visit the board within the shortest time since assumption of office, and wished him well on his job.
The meeting had directors of the board and the Quality Assurance Director of the Ministry of Education, Mrs Sylvaline, as well as commissioner’s aids in attendance.

By: Amadi Akujobi