By Godwin-Maria Utuedoye
The State Universal Basic Education Board SUBEB has resolved to setup School Based Management Committees, SBMC in all public primary schools across Delta State.
Executive Chairman of the Board, Hon Samuel Mariere who disclosed this while addressing primary education stakeholders at Orerokpe, headquarters of Okpe local government area, said the resolution was part of government’s efforts to revive the fallen standard of public schools in the state.
At a meeting with the Secretary Okpe Local Education Authority, Heads of Teachers, the Traditional Ruler of Okpe kingdom and Community leaders, Mariere emphasized the need for communities to join hands with government to supervise and monitor public school assets in their localities.
He noted that primary school education is key in building a solid education foundation in every child and by extension a better society.
The SUBEB Boss added that failure to get it right at the primary school level was the reason for the collapsed of education generally in the country.
Mariere hinted on regular supervision and monitoring of primary schools to achieve attitudinal change from heads of teachers and staff, saying developing the pupils is more important than school infrastructure.
He assured stakeholders that government of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori was committed to building more new classroom blocks and rehabilitation of dilapidated school structures in the state.
The two term former member of the Delta State House Assembly, disclosed that the state government had recently employed over three thousand teaching and non teaching staffs in public schools across the state.
Mariere said government also placed top priority to promotion of teachers and would soon pay all outstanding arrears to motivate them to giving their best, adding that the Governor has cleared pensions own retired workers up to 2019.
As a measure to instill discipline, the SUBEB Chairman directed that teachers who failed to attend the stakeholders meeting should report to the SUBEB office in Asaba on Monday to explain reason for the refusal to attend the scheduled meeting.
He also directed the redeployment of two head teachers to the local education authority office in Orerokpe to resume duty as supervisors for failure to attend the meeting.
Hon Mariere emphasized that indiscipline will not be tolerated under his watch as he did not intend to fail on his role as Chairman of SUBEB to repositioning education at the basic level.
He commended the Orodje of Opke Kingdom, HRM retired Major General Felix Mujakpero for the warm reception accorded the board and his support to the growth of education in the state.
The Secretary Local Education Authority
in Okpe, Comrade Omatagiren Igho, Chairman NUT Okpe local government chapter, Comrade Atse Obrurhe, Chairman AOPSHON, Egbegbadi Benson and the NASU Chairman, Comrade Akpere Emmanuel, commended Governor Oborevwori for the promotions and recruitment of more staff, promising to support the government to achieve it goals and objectives to turn education at the basic level around.
The Orodje of Okpe kingdom, retired Major General Felix Mujakpero stressed the need for education summit in the state to turn the sector around for better, saying that a Nation failure most times was as a results of failed education system.
Communities leaders who spoke welcomed their role to collaborate with MORE agenda policy of the state government to deliver quality education at primary level.