The Federal Government’s NPower programme has boosted teachers population in schools in Calabar, says Mr. Etim Essien, the Vice Principal (Administration) of Margaret Ekpo Secondary School.
Essien told newsmen last Thursday in Calabar that with the coming of the NPower, teachers in almost all subject areas, the work in his school had been made easier.
The initiative is designed to curb unemployment and increase skills among Nigerian youths through hands-on training.
“Teachers in the school for now are very adequate in almost all subject areas; they have made our work easier and have boosted the population of the teachers in the school.
He said the teachers were very happy to resume for a new academic session and had had their pre-resumption meeting where necessary arrangements were made to make the term better than the previous one.
“This term, we have decided to renovate the school toilets ourselves; the principal has even built one all by herself since help was not forthcoming from the state Government.
“We have also decided to lock the school gate immediately it is 8:30 a.m. to reduce late coming and to sanction teachers who refuse to do their work.
The vice principal highlighted some of the needs of the school which include more classroom blocks, toilets and quarters for corps members serving in the school.
He added that the issues that made teachers in the state to embark on a strike before the long vacation had yet to be resolved.
Similarly, Mr Emedion Orok, the Vice Principal, Government Secondary School Akim, said he was happy to resume even though the holiday was short.
Orok added that though more teachers had been sent to the school, courtesy of the NPower programme, the school still needs qualified teachers in special areas.
“We need qualified teachers in special areas because most of the people sent to us are in particular areas; sciences are lacking.
“For now, we have been given empty classes; we need school desks for the students to be able to come in; the school needs a library and science laboratories for better learning.”
He implored all parents to release their wards to go to school as the 2018/2019 academic session had commenced.
Some of the students who spoke with The Tide urged the state government to address critical issues in the schools such as inadequate, classrooms and laboratories, toilets and the lack of water.