Ifeanyi Ezugwu, Enugu.
As part of the state reforms to make basic education functional and
qualitative, Enugu state Universal Basic Education Board UBEB will embark on massive construction and renovation
of over 300 classroom buildings for both primary and junior secondary
schools spread across the 17 local government areas of the state.
The chairman of the Board Miss. Nneka Onuora made this revelation yesterday in a
chat with news men in Enugu,stating that the
construction and the renovation of the schools includes three primary classroom blocks
and six secondary classroom blocks in every local government areas of the state.
She explained that a further breakdown shows that 72 new school buildings will be constructed while
244 buildings will be renovated with each building containing either three
classrooms or six classrooms blocks respectively/.
The chairman said that the projects which are being executed with 2009 to 2011 intervention
fund will cost the Board over 3.6billion naira includes the cost of
furniture, She is optimistic that when completed the constructed and renovated
classroom blocks will be equipped with modern technology to enhance academic
exercise.
According to her, the Board is poised into providing a conducive and
enabling environment for academic activities of the pupils and students,boasting that when the
projects are completed, many parents will see reason to withdraw their wards from
private schools to public schools.
Miss. Onuora who decried the poor level of infrastructure decay in both our
primary schools and junior secondary in the state, said that soon Enugu
state will among the best in the country in the filed of academics .
She lamented,”Most of the school buildings have collapsed, many have leaking roofs while
some have no windows and doors, in some cases pupils received lessons
under trees so in such situation how can the pupils cope. It is horrible”
“With our vision now in progress soon the school system in Enugu state will
change and pupils and school children will enjoy good environment studying
under well constructed and renovated classrooms with nice furniture like green chalk board or magnetic marker board, desks
and others” she added.
The chairman further explained that why the Board is taking the initiative
is the fact that primary education is the basic education foundation for every child
stressing that if a child lacks basic primary education it will be
difficult for the child to cope at other levels of education.
She revealed stated that the Board had last year re-trained over 4000
teachers on modern education techniques and will re-train more this year
adding that the whole visions will come to nothing if we don’t have
qualitative teachers to teach the pupils.
According to her more volunteer teachers will be engaged to complement our
efforts pending when the Board will recruit more teachers.
She warned head of schools and teachers that it will not be as business as
usual pointing that the Board has set up high powerful monitory team to
monitor their activities warning further that those cut in sharp practicing
will be punish according.
