BY OKEY ALOZIE
The Executive Secretary Secondary Education Management Board (SEMB),Dr. Mrs. Adaugo Nwanebo last week met with Interim Management Committee Chairmen of Local Government Areas in Imo State to inform them of the need to support the growth of Education in all the schools especially those around their communities.
Report has it that the Executive Secretary stormed the ALGON State Office located along Okigwe road, Owerri around 3pm to solicit for support of the I.M.C Chairmen as well as to intensify the commitments expected of them through direct mentorship. She also solicited for the support of other renowned stakeholders like Councilors, Community Leaders and Royal Fathers, including those who have great impact to play under the directive of the L.G.A Chairmen. This she said is basically to compliment the activities of P.T.A of schools.
The Executive Secretary revealed that, there is need to make a positive change in the Education Sector especially in our Secondary Schools. She therefore urged the Clergy, Religious Bodies, Philanthropists, Traditional Institutions, NGOs, Old Boys Association and all lovers of Education not to relent their effort in making the Education sector great.
She regretted why some principals should extort money from students. She hinted that teachers extort their students through various strategies. Dr. Nwanebo further pointed out a situation where a student extorts his or her parents.
Another chocking revelation she made was the situation where teachers write answers on the Board for students during Examination. She said before now, it
was reported that some teachers use students for their private farming during school hours. Again she observes that students loiter around during ongoing lessons. Moreso students go to their opposite friends house claiming they are in school and teachers come to schools on daily basis and lousy about till closing time.
Other problems she mentioned include lack of security of staff and students in schools, dilapidation of schools structures, lack of academic activities that boost study habits or improve learning in schools, handicapped for disciplinary measures due to method of payment of salaries. All the above according to her form part of the vices which to large extent effects students performance and deterioration on daily basis.
Nwanebo made a clarion call to the Local government as grass root administration to assist Imo Secondary Schools, strengthen the activities of the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) as well as to correct anomalies.
In her conclusion, she made it clear that the children upbringing is not a one man affair. She said children are born to single families brought up generally but endured or enjoyed by the society in general. The teachers are expected to discharge their duties by teaching the students while in the school, principals are expected to check and ensure that teaching and learning are smoothly going on. The students owe it as a duty to be in school always and learn from the teachers, the parents are expected to correspond their children’s school activities, their performance as against their abilities while the report some indentified irregularities.
Nwanebo used the forum to flag off the Education Support Programme in Secondary Schools and insisted that the Local Government Chairmen will help her to bring sanity in the Education System adding that extortion must stop, Expo in schools will be no more, force labour, cultism in schools will be a thing
of the past, dilapidated structures in schools will be rehabilitated and security will be provided in all schools.
“Our schools are in a sorry state, students can’t speak good English, and they
can’t even speak Igbo very well. This requires urgent attention” she submitted.
In their reactions, the I.M.C Chairmen declared that there is serious problem and challenges facing the Education System in Nigeria and Imo State in particular.
Hon. Barr Emma Njoku, the IMC Chairman of Aboh Mbaise said the teachers are very few in number. This limited number of teachers in schools makes things difficult. He said most times, students are very ideal because there is no teacher to teach them. He further told the Executive Secretary that he will be embarrassed on the kind of questions that will come out when she will be visiting the stakeholders in their various Local Government Areas.
Ideato South and North IMC Chairmen jointly revealed that Npower teachers in their areas collect money and run away without teaching the students. They demanded for the employment of more teachers.
Ikeduru IMC Chairman said teachers complain of no payment of salaries. Isiala Mbano IMC Chairman raised eyebrow on the exam malpractices in schools and scarcity of teachers. Njaba IMC Chairman said parents prefer sending their children to private schools this time.
