Imo to employ 10,000 teachers, establish more Technical Schools

From Victor Duruamaku Owerri

Imo State Government says  it has concluded plans to recruit about 10,000 more teachers to take care of it’s primary and secondary schools

According to the state commissioner of education, prof. John-Cliff Neadike, the present administration in the state would also establish more technical schools in the state .

He revealed that the administration had no plan to abolish mix schools but rather would promote academic competition among male and female students in each school

The commissioner  who briefed journalists  in his office  Tuesday, said that the present administration of Senator Hope Uzodimma  considers important school sports  and as such has directed school principals and head teachers to reintroduce inter-house sports competition in their schools

He further  said that the State Government would equally establish more Special Schools for the physically challenged individuals, equip them with modern teaching and learning facilities and also establish more Adult Education Centres.

The commissioner however  frowned at the proliferation of Private Schools in the
state pointing out that some of the private schools were established in  utter violation of government’s guidelines for the establishment of such schools

According to him, a Government taskforce would soon commence clampdown on such illegally established private schools in the state

“Before you establish a School, you must meet the official requirements but some of the people they present as teachers are fake and quacks” he noted

Prof  Neadike  also revealed that government had commenced measures to clear roads/streets in the state of hawking by School Children during school hours and  blamed some parents for the unhealthy trend.

Apart from sustaining government’s “School Feeding Programme” to spare
the children of hunger while in schools, Nwadike said that government
has plans to approach the World Bank for assistance to weed the
children off the streets during school hours.

“Some of these children are illegal migrants and they constitute
serious nuisance to the state and make the public uncomfortable”

He pleaded with Community leaders, Traditional rulers, Town Union
Executive, PTAs and Old Boys/Old Girls Associations to assist the
government in the promotion of security in schools, even as he charged
Heads of schools to use part of the fund they normally realize from
the use of their school premises by individuals and Organization to
take care of some challenges confronting their schools.

The commissioner attributed the delay in the take off of the Alvan
Ikoku Federal College of Education (AIFCE) Owerri as a Federal
University of Education to senseless bickering, internal wranglings
and fear of existence by some individuals.

“Some people are trying to frustrate the implementation for selfish
reasons. There must be adjustment and re-adjustment before it can
really take off as a Federal University of Education.