By Godwin-Maria Utuedoye
Delta State Universal Basic Education Board, Subeb has enjoined the 25 local government councils to partner with it to enforce supervision on Head Teachers for optimal performance in service delivery in public primary schools in the state.
Executive Chairman of the Board, Hon Samuel Mariere made the appeal in Aniocha North and Aniocha South, when he led members and management of Subeb to the headquarters of the local government councils in continuation of the advocacy meeting with public primary education stakeholders in the state.
Hon Mariere, while addressing critical stakeholders, including Chairmen of the Councils, local education secretaries, heads of schools, traditional rulers, union leaders and opinion groups, said the advocacy visit was a directive from Governor Sheriff Oborevwori as part of his administration’s efforts to revamp public primary education in the state.
The Subeb Boss stated that government had invested so much in school infrastructures including classroom blocks, fencing, furniture, and other facilities, saying that more still need to be done, particularly in the area of attitudinal change by Teachers to provide quality education to the pupils.
He noted that public confidence in public primary schools is being restored by Oborevwori’s government, emphasizing the need for total commitment to bringing back quality and standards as it were in the old glorious days.
Mariere noted that government has done its part by paying salaries of teachers as at when due, promote staff and invested heavily in training and retraining of teachers to motive them and improved service delivery.
He said the administration is committed to repositioning public primary schools in the state, even as he called on teachers to be alive to their responsibilities by impacting knowledge to the pupils.
Hon Mariere stressed that adequate supervision and monitoring by Subeb in collaboration with local education authority, community leaders, traditional rulers and members of the School Based Management Committee would guarantee quality assurance and improve standards in the public primary school system.
The Subeb Boss said reports have attributed poor commitment of teachers to duties as responsible for low enrollment and high out of school children, saying that the sad narratives has continued to discouraged parents to sending their wards to public schools.
Mariere directed that all head teachers on salary grade level 15 be elevated as School Support Officers in the local education authorities to work with the quality assurance department to monitor and supervised teachers in schools.
The Subeb Boss commended Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for approval of 3.55 billion to improve public primary schools in the state.
He also commended the Council Chairmen for commitment to support the board to produce exercise note books for pupils in public primary schools in the state.
Hon Mariere appreciated the Traditional rulers for pledging support for government reforms in public primary education.
Chairmen Aniocha South and North Local Government Councils, Hon Jude Chukwuwike and Hon Chinye Bazim, who were represented at the meetings, welcomed the ongoing reforms aimed to repositioning the public primary schools in the state.
They assured Subeb that the councils will play their parts to support the state government in production of exercise note books to be distributed free to pupils to encouraged parents to enroll their children, adding that it is a laudable idea and program of the state government.
Education Secretaries of Aniocha South, Comrade Cletus Okafor and that of Aniocha North, Mrs Nkem Ogbechie, emphasized the need for standards in public primary schools, adding that most people in positions of authority in the country are products of public educations.
They appealed for improve subvention to run the schools as well as renovation of dilapidated school buildings, while assuring the board of effective monitoring of the schools for better performance.
Chairman Aniocha South local Government Tradition Rulers Council, Obi Godwin Nzemeke, the Obi of Ejeme-Uno, commended the present government for putting in motion turnaround in public primary schools in the state.
The Monarch assured government of the support of the traditional institution for successful reform in the public primary education sector.
Others who spoke, including community leaders pledged their contributions and commitment to work with the present administration.