THE NEW PHASE OF EDUCATION UNDER THE UDOM EMMANUEL ADMINISTRATION BY ELDER SAMUEL E. EDET Ph.D ACTING CHAIRMAN GOVERNING COUNCIL AKWA IBOM STATE POLYTECHNIC IKOT OSURUA
Years ago, people sent their children to schools outside the state. This was due to the insecurity situation in the state at the time. For fear of losing their children to kidnappers and child thieves while they were in school, the option was to send them to schools outside the state or even outside, the country for those who could afford it.
Others considered the quality of education their children could get from public schools – the buildings were dilapidated, the teaching staff, inadequate; teaching aids were absent and as for tertiary institutions, accreditation were withdrawn, the option open to parents was to send their children out!
With the coming into office of Governor Udom Emmanuel, the situation has changed. The Governor comes into office with the belief like Gaspar Jovellanos, a Spanish writer, that “numerous are the streams that lead to social prosperity, but all spring from the same source and that is public education”. Consequently, he has worked hard to change the face of public schools.
Firstly, he knows that the quality of the products is a function of the quality of the teachers. To address this, qualified teachers are recruited to fill the vacant positions vacated by retiring ones. In this regard, more than three thousand primary school teachers were recently offered appointment. This goes hand in hand with the provision of suitable environment for learning and teaching to take place.
With the understanding that a hungry man is an angry and so cannot do his job well, teachers are paid their entitlements regularly even in the face of dwindling finances. Public schools are brought up to speed with modern teaching aids thereby making education interesting and appealing to the young people.
In addition to these, sports development and encouragement is given a boost. This is in recognition of the age long saying that a sound mind exists in a sound body. With these in place, pupils are going back to take their rightful places in public schools within their communities, particularly as this is free.
The Akwa Ibom State University is given added impetus to give higher education to the teaming school leavers. More members of the academic and nonacademic staff are recruited, they are also sent on courses to update their knowledge on new and modern developments in the world. The academic staff are encouraged to take to researches by way of giving them research grants. This is the first step in building a reservoir of brilliant and knowledgeable men and women in the state.
Accreditation of programmes in these institutions are pursued with vigour. Take the case of the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic for example. No efforts are spared to ensure that programmes of the institution receive NBTE accreditation. This is backed up with timely resolution of industrial disputes as they may arise between management, staff and students of these institutions.
The Udom Emmanuel leadership of the state believes like Robert Coram that “education should not be left to the caprice or negligence of parents, to chance, or confined to the children of wealthy citizens” hence the administration’s responsible moves to reposition public schools and for public education.
To achieve all these and much more, the prevailing peace in the state must, of necessity, endure and to ensure enduring peace in our state, we should have a man of peace at the helm of affairs in the state. Deacon Udom Emmanuel is that man of peace. Since he came into office peace has returned to our state. We cannot afford to go back to the dark days of insecurity when fear enveloped the state. In the words of Charles Keller, a onetime President of Rotary International; “if we do not find the path to peace, whatever else we do will not make much difference”. Udom Emmanuel is the peace we need!
SIGNED
DR. SAMUEL EDET
Acting Chairman, Governing Council.
