ETIM EFFIONG
In its efforts to address infrastructure deficits in public schools, the Akwa Ibom State government has said it had dedicated all inter-ministerial direct labour projects to the education sector.
Speaking during an interaction with newsmen in Uyo on Monday, the Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong recalled that Governor Udom Emmanuel had declared a state of emergency in the education sector considering rots and negligence inherited in the education sector from previous administrations.
Ememobong explained that the only means to handle cases of lack of amenities in public schools was to use Inter-Ministerial Direct Labour to intervene and fix infrastructure in public schools.
According to him, the government has sent over 28,000 desks to public schools as some primary school pupils never had desks in their classrooms to receive their lessons.
He listed other government infrastructure interventions to include perimeter fencing in schools, renovation of classroom blocks and assembly halls as well as drilling of boreholes in schools.
He said: “Education sector is well captured in the completion agenda of Governor Udom Emmanuel. Recently, 28,000 desks were sent to public schools.
“We also ensure that public schools within the Uyo metropolis are fenced to check the influx of persons into school premises.”
Ememobong, who was accompanied by Assistant Director in the Ministry of Information, Mr Aniekan Ekong, added that the government has set the age limit for admission into public secondary schools at 12 to check the vulnerability of students to antics of cultists who lure innocent children to cult groups in government schools.
“The age of perpetrators of cultism in public schools is a major challenge in fighting cultism in schools. The government is coming out with legislation to address it.”
“We would also activate juvenile homes and moral rebirth as well as placing spies in public schools to check, who introduce cultism and isolate those who cause this menace in our public schools.”