…wants govt to establish more libraries, laboratories, ICT facility in public schools
…demands release of funds to contractors handling school projects
The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly ( AKHA ) is worried by the high rate of school age children found loitering in the streets and hawking during school hours in the state.
To this end, the House in a resolution passed, Tuesday 11th June, 2024 has urged the State Government to accord top priority to the education sector by providing an enabling environment for the Education monitoring team of the government to carry out it’s assignment.
The House has also resolved that the law establishing free and compulsory education in the State be reinforced by the state Government under the administration of Governor Eno.
The House also urged the State government through the inter-ministerial direct labour committee “to continue the process of building fences in public schools to checkmate loitering”.
In furtherance of the ARISE agenda of the current administration of which Education is key, the House urged Governor Umo Eno to direct the release of funds for payment to contractors handling various school projects, to facilitate the immediate handing-over of locked classrooms to the management of schools to enhance quality education in the State.
This is as the House Committee on Education headed by Hon. Kenim Onofiok, member representing Oron/Udunguko State Constituency, had alerted the House that findings by her committee had revealed that some classrooms in various communities in the State, constructed through the Ministerial Direct Labour Committee are being locked up by the contractors handling the job because “the government is yet to meet the financial obligation with the contractors”.
Similarly, the House has called on the governmet to consider it necessary to equip public Secondary Schools in the State with modern Libraries, laboratory and ICT facilities to enhance quality education in the State in order to boost the ARISE agenda of the present administration. The Assembly also advised the State government to seek collaboration with relevant private sector, oil firms operating within the State with a view of ensuring that public schools are well equipped with facilities and resources.
The resolution of the House follows the adoption of report of the House Committee on Education, submitted by the Chairman, Hon. Kenim Onofiok.
It would be recalled that during the sitting of the House on Tuesday February, 20, 2024, the Deputy Chief Whip of the House, and Member representing Oruk-Anam, Hon. Sampson Idiong had raised a motion on the “Urgent need to stop School age Children from loitering and hawking during school hours” in the State and in the sitting of Tuesday 8th August, 2023, Hon. Udobia Friday, representing Esit-Eket/Ibeno, had brought a motion “Urging the State government to prioritize the establishment and modernization of libraries, laboratories and ICT unit in Secondary Schools within the State”.
Also on Friday, September, 8 ,2023 the Lawmaker representing Mkpat-Enin, Hon. Uwem Imoh-Ita had introduced a motion on “An urgent call for immediate handing-over of locked classroom blocks to schools to enhance quality education”.
The House, having deliberated on the three motions on the floor, mandated it’s Committee on Education, headed by Hon. Kenim Onofiok to further investigate the matter and report back for further legislative action. The House Committee on Science and Technology, Chaired by Hon. Uduak Ekpo-Ufot was also coopted by the Speaker to jointly work with the Education Chairman on the motion that has to do with the prioritization of establishment of libraries, laboratories and ICT units in the Schools.
Mrs. Onofiok while submitting her committee’s report, explained that the committee immediately swung into action and invited Heads of relevant MDA’s including the Commissioner for Education, Chairmen of State Secondary Education Board, and that of the State Technical Schools Board, Permanent Secretary and Directors of relevant stakeholders for an interface.
The Committee, she said,observed through interaction with stakeholders the poor monitoring of schools by the Education monitoring team set up by the State government due to poor funding. According to Hon. Onofiok, her Committee findings also revealed that some parents do not show serious concern about their wards Education because of the free education programme of the State government.
The Committee, she said, also observed that some of the school premises are not fenced to checkmate unnecessary loitering during official hours.
The absence of security personnels in schools to monitor incessant loitering was also noted by the Committee, among several other observations.
The House had dissolved into a Committee of the whole to consider the report.
Reacting, the Speaker, Rt. Hon.(Elder) Udeme Otong, who presided over the day’s plenary directed the Clerk to communicate the resolution of the House to the Governor for necessary action.
Press Unit,
Office of the Speaker, AKHA.
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