Newsfront Online …Telling the Public as it is
The State Secondary Education Board has been challenged to explore the private sector and donor agencies for additional funds to complement government effort in supporting the board.
The Chairman, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Education, Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke, who gave the charge last Wednesday during a familiarization visit to the Board’s headquarters in Uyo, said this will help in meeting the challenges of inadequate funds, inadequate personnel, dilapidated infrastructure facing the board in reaching out to some secondary schools.
Mr. Luke used the occasion to emphasise the need for morals, character moulding and intellectual development of every child, and expressed gratitude to teachers for their commitment, cooperation and contribution to the life of every child.
The Chairman, who lauded the efforts of the Board for its effective and regular supervision of schools which has enhanced the teachers and students commitment to learning and effective delivery of knowledge, enjoined all to share in the philosophy of ‘Dakkada’ for the spirit of excellence to thrive.
The Chairman commended the Permanent Secretary of the State Secondary education Board, Elder Akpan Solomon Akpan for his ingenuity in piloting the affairs of the Board.
While pledging readiness of his committee to use legislative means to tackle some problems facing the board, Mr. Onofiok called for a regular meeting with the stakeholders to review educational contents in order to meet current happenings in the society.
Earlier in his speech, the Permanent Secretary of the Board, Elder Akpan S. Akpan, had commended the committee for deeming it fit to visit the Board, saying that it was a great moral booster pointing to the fact that the board is implementing government policies as expected.
Elder Akpan reiterated that quality assurance would only be achieved by monitoring the schools and supervising the school activities effectively since what gets supervised, gets done properly.
He appealed to the committee to assist in the provision of vehicles to help the board monitor activities of the schools in the interest of children and the future, requesting the members to visit two schools- Community Secondary School, Ifiayong Usuk in Uruan and Goretti Girls Secondary School, Ikot Ekpene- which needs urgent intervention.
The Permanent Secretary complained of the lack of knowledge by some students in public schools in Information and Computer Technology and Computer-based Test which places them in a disadvantaged position at any national examination, appealing for adequate provision of computers in the public schools to enable them have mastery of the examinations.
Other members of the committee were the Chief Whip and Deputy Chairman of the committee, Hon. Emmanuel Ekpenyong; a member representing Ika State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Gabriel Toby and clerk of the committee, Mrs. Unyime Benson.
