Public schools in Abia State have seen a 100 percent increase in student enrollment, a surge the state government attributes directly to its sweeping education reforms.
The announcement was made by the State Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, following a meeting of the State Executive Council presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
He cited policies such as the introduction of free education in primary and junior secondary schools, the regular payment of teacher salaries, and the recent recruitment of new teachers as key factors behind the dramatic rise.
In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, the government outlined the comprehensive reforms. These include “introduction of Free Education in Primary and Junior Secondary School, regular payment of Teachers Salaries, [and] Financial compensation for Teachers posted to rural areas.”
Other listed policies were an increase in the retirement age for teachers from 60 to 65 years, regular training programmes, improvements to school facilities, and the adoption of new curricula.
The government also addressed the challenge of teacher absenteeism, particularly in rural communities. Mr Ekeoma issued a direct appeal to teachers who have not reported to their posts.
“On absence of many teachers in schools where they were posted to, Ekeoma called on such teachers to return to those schools as government is no longer ready to repost such teachers,” the statement read.
He expressed regret that some educators had “misconstrued the Governor’s well-thought-out position that posting shouldn’t be punitive,” and had used it to reject assignments they had initially accepted.
On the issue of staff welfare, the government assured that matters relating to promotion and leave allowances “are being handled holistically and would soon be resolved.”
A committee comprising the Head of Service, the Accountant General, and the Finance and Justice Commissioners is working to address pending gratuities and other allowances.
In a separate development, the government announced it will commission a newly completed, modern court complex in the Isialangwa South Local Government Area.
Commissioner Kanu described the project as one of 16 such complexes being built across the state’s 17 local government areas, calling them “state-of-the-art” facilities equipped to improve the justice system.
The government also launched a statewide road safety campaign, warning that no motorist, “regardless of social status, would be spared if found violating traffic laws.”
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