Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has inaugurated an inspectorate team that will supervise and ensure the success of free education programme in the state.
This came as the governor launched a special programme tagged: “No Teachers, No School Programme,” aimed at ensuring equitable distribution of teachers as well as effective staffing of all schools in the state.
Speaking at the event held at Heroes Square, Owerri, Okorocha reiterated the commitment of his administration to ensure that free qualitative education declared at all level in the state does not only succeed but sustained.
He disclosed that far-reaching measures have been adopted towards sanitising and restructuring the school system in line with the Rescue Mission Agenda of the state government, adding that part of such measures include regular payment of salaries and allowances and periodic transfer of teachers.
Okorocha explained that the huge investment by his administration in education sector is targeted at creating vast opportunities for Imo children and to sustain Imo as the brain-box of the nation as the state has consistently remained on top so far as education is concerned in the country.
Beyond the free education programme, Okorocha highlighted some major achievements in education sector by his administration to include the construction of 305 model schools in each INEC ward, construction of Young Scientist College, construction of the massive Owerri City School, construction of Imo College of Advanced Professional School, increase of monthly subvention to Imo State University (IMSU) from N57million to N252million and release of N450million grant to missionary schools.
While he charged the teachers to show exemplary commitment in promoting the free education programme, the governor announced the approval of N10,000 each as clothing allowance for the over 2000 newly employed teachers.
The governor who attributed the success so far recorded under the free education programme to the dedication so far shown by the teachers, disclosed that plans are being perfected to train Imo teachers on Information Communication Technology (ICT) and further equip them with computers as part of the capacity building aspect of the free education programme.
Earlier in her remarks, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Adaobi Obasi, said: “It is heart-warming that Okorocha has proven that education is power and that it is through qualitative and functional education that societies can develop and families liberate themselves from cyclic poverty and hence the individuals empowered to attain their full potentials.”
She, however, urged all the teachers in the state to justify the huge investment in education by the governor by being dedicated and committed to their duties for the success of the programme in the state.
