When you say that Rivers State has become a model for education in Nigeria,  you are no doubt saying the obvious.

The Rivers State educational sector witnessed a massive transformation which has made the state to become a model for other states in the country to follow.

This educational system, many have described as world-class which some states are silently emulating.

As the chairman, Association of Primary School Head- teachers of Nigeria (AOPSHON), Comrade Tennyson Amadi, said recently, it appeared to be a taboo or crime for the state government to renovate the old school buildings which have lasted for decades.

Instead, it was a total pulling down of old and dilapidated primary school buildings and erecting a world-class edifice with state-of-the-art facilities that cannot be compared with any school in Nigeria.

It is the completely constructed and furnished primary schools which have football field with synthetic tracks, larger capacity devotion hall, sick bay with modern medical equipment, library and generating sets.

Modern computer laboratory where the pupils can comfortably learn and operate like those who found themselves lucky in this jet age as well as headmasters’ offices furnished with their own computers, which make teaching and learning easier and faster.

In the case of the kindergarten and nursery sections, there are recreation ground for their own activities.

Pupils are supplied with text books, school uniform and physical education (PE) wears, school bags, shoes, sandals and socks.

These and more which are coming up soon are enough to convince us that the state is indeed a model for education.

The new model secondary schools being constructed by the state government also have well designed libraries that are world-class, sick bays, sports facilities, information and communications technology (ICT) equipment.

The dormitories are constructed in rooms with two beds space, wardrobe, reading table and chairs with the floors completely tiled.

How else can pupils and students of these model schools be comfortable. This also shows that the Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi means well for the people of Rivers State.

And I think that he may have felt that the legacy he would leave for Rivers State is good and qualitative education.

This is the kind of education that is free and compulsory for every child of school age.

It could be recalled that before now, some pupils and students in some schools were sitting on the floor because there were no sits.  Others sat under the trees and in fact it was pathetic.

Such system could be described as one that was abandoned and nobody was interested in dealing  with those issues.

As the state gets set for the commencement of academic activities at the new model secondary schools, the Ministry of Education has emphasised its readiness to tackle the challenges that lie ahead,.

The Commissioner for Education, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi, said the Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi was prepared and determined to transform the educational sector, so he brought in a team of specialists from World Bank to go round and see what kind of advice they could offer apart from his own knowledge.

She noted that when the specialists came up with their own report, it was easier for him to build those ideas into his vision.

This, she said, was how the governor came about building model primary and secondary schools since the infrastructure he met on ground were in deplorable condition.

The Education Commissioner noted that the governor came on board and transformed the sector.

She recalled that between 2008 and 2011, the state government dealt mainly on infrastructure.

She assured that efforts are being made to ensure that the model secondary schools are functional and will take-off effectively.

According to her, “Also we have to take a look at the management of the school. The cost of managing the school and test-running of the facilities in the school before normal academic activities commence.”

She emphasised that the school managers are already on ground and very soon, teachers would be recruited, stressing that everything would be ready before the students are admitted into the school.

The Education boss explained that the managers of the schools are a big consortium known as Educomps, who specialise in managing schools around the world, like in England, India and the United States of America (USA).

The criteria for admission of students, she explained, is that they would sit for an examination, the scoring points would be determined by the school managers, stressing that admission would be based on merit.

She emphasised that the admission into the model secondary schools is open to only students in public schools.

Concerning the requirement of teachers into the schools, “It would be based on merit also”, she stated.

Of course, we are aware of the training and re-training of teachers by Rivers State government in collaboration with the British Council and good-spirited organisations.

“I can remember one that took place recently where 40 English Language teachers were trained.”

According to a Director of Higher Education in the State Ministry of Education, Mrs Mae Solomon, English is the major language of communication in Nigeria especially, here in Rivers State, stressing that other subjects are taught in English.

Therefore, she said, a good grasp of the language would enhance the performance of the students in other subjects because, before you answer any question, you have to understand it first.

Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi maintained that Rivers State is a model.

“We have quite a number of people who came to us and say to us, we need the model of  your primary and secondary schools.

“When you talk about benchmarking in education, Rivers State really comes top,” she emphasised.

The Education Commissioner disclosed that there are about 24 model secondary schools across the sate, stressing that five or seven functional model secondary schools are being expected by the end of this year.

Dame Lawrence-Nemi expressed optimism that before the end of this political dispensation, in 2015, all the model schools would be functional.

She maintained that the model schools would be handed over to the host communities as soon as they become functional so that the children would start benefitting from what the governor has done for the state regarding good education.

Though, she explained that the host communities can come in because of the local content preference but the general management of the schools would be done by the consultants, Educomps, whose duty is to recruit people from anywhere.

Her words: “I doubt that there would be any challenges, there won’t be much. When you are talking about education, fine, you are talking about the curriculum, infrastructure; challenges might be getting the children to go to school.

Our greatest challenge would be yes, we have done all these wonderful things in our schools, let’s have the children go to school, not with the Commissioner nor the Permanent Secretary.”

The education commissioner assures that the teachers in Rivers State are ready and willing to teach so the challenges might be with the parents and their children.

She noted that the Rivers State Ministry of Education has domesticated its curriculum last year, saying every school is operating the same curriculum.

The truth is that the model primary and secondary school buildings established by the Rivers State government have met international standard.

One may also be tempted to describe the schools as university buildings.

It should be interesting to us in Rivers State that people from other states are coming to emulate this successful gesture by the state government.

When the model secondary schools become functional with full academic activities and the children start benefitting, we will appreciate what the governor, Chibuike Amaechi has done for the state regarding the educational sector.

Eunice Choko-Kayode