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Demands Utilisation of N600bn Left by Ibas on Education Sector
- Safiu Kehinde
Fresh crisis is gradually looming again in Rivers State as the Martin Amaewhule-led Assembly slammed the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, over the poor state of public primary and secondary schools across the state.
Amaewhule had in a video shared on X on Monday decried the deplorable state and dearth of teachers in the schools.
The Rivers Assembly Speaker disclosed how the House Committee Chairman on Education had discovered a school where a teacher was caught teaching both Primary One and Primary Two pupils in the same class.
“Public schools in Rivers State, particularly at the primary and secondary level, are generally in a deplorable position. It’s a fact.
“The reason is because of abandonment by people who are supposed to be doing the needful. As at yesterday, the House Committee Chairman on Education found out that one teacher is teaching two classes.
“Two classes are in one classroom being taught by one teacher- Primary One and Two.
“The teacher will teach Primary One small, while Primary Two is listening to Primary One class. Then Primary One will stop listening while the teacher will teach Primary Two.” He said.
The Speaker further decried the absence of power supply to the school despite sharing fence with the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC).
He also raised concern over the lack of security in the school, leading to reported cases, especially vandalism.
“No toilet, no electricity, yet that school is sharing fence with the PHEDC headquarters. No security. That same school is directly opposite the Police Headquarters.
“Meanwhile, vandals have taken over the school, destroying the little facilities they have before now. The worst of it is that upon what we said when this motion came up, nothing has happened. The Rivers State Executive Council has not done anything.
“They have done nothing to remedy the situation. This is a sad commentary. Something has to be done to our schools, for our children, for the future of this state.
“Our primary and secondary schools cannot remain like this. They cannot remain without teachers. When the last administration was leaving, the plan for the employment of people.
“I think 10,000 staff across the state. But what has happened? People were not employed. But when it is time for protest, funds will come for people to go and protest.
“When it is time to employ teachers and make teachers to be in the classroom, there will be no money.” He said.
While describing the development as an aberration and abomination, Amaewhule called for the utilisation of the N600 billion left by the administration of the immediate past Sole Administrator of the state, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas.
“We cannot continue to keep quiet. We cannot continue to fold our arms while out children continue to suffer; while teachers continue to cry.
“How will anyone believe that in the 2025 in a state like Rivers state, one teacher will be teaching two classrooms under one roof.
“How will anyone believe that a school that is very close to the government house that pedestrians will be called to come and teach people because there are not teachers.
“This is an abomination. It is aberration, and it is unacceptable. Something has to be one. We will not allow this indolence to continue.
“We are the only people mandated by law to Fight for our people. fight for our parents. Parents are crying. The pictures they are sending to us are coming from parent from Township School 2. The other day, somebody went to a school in Eche and saw students inside a classroom with even weed on their roof.
“It is appalling. Is it that we don’t have funds in the state? Of course we have. As at the time the Administrator Ibas was leaving, he left over N600 billion in the account of Rivers State.
Over N600 billion by October. Can such fund be used to remedy the situations in our schools?” He aked.