Unfolding his agenda in the education sector of the state economy on May 29, 2015 during his inauguration at the cenotaph in Asaba, Delta State governor, Senator (Dr.) IfeanyiOkowa said “without prejudice to the sustenance of the present quality of education at all levels, this (his) administration shall refocus our schools’ curricula as an urgent response to the increasing complexity and challenge of the world we live in. Emphasis will be on technical and vocational education that will empower our people with the requisite knowledge and entrepreneurial skills for business, trade and commerce. Towards this end, also, some of our existing polytechnics shall be restructured for appropriate specialization”.
He added on that auspicious occasion that there would be even provision and distribution of education infrastructure in the state under his watch, just as he disclosed that he would forward Technical and Vocational Education Board Bill 2015 among other Executive Bills to the Delta State House of Assembly within one week of his inauguration for consideration and passage. Today, the Okowa’s administration has spent 100 days in office with systematic implementation of educational policies and programmes aimed at achieving his vision in the sector for Deltans.
Just as he promised while assuming the mantle of leadership in the state, Governor Okowa, has within the specified time frame, forwarded three Executive Bills including that of Technical and Vocational Education Board to the state legislature for consideration and passage which have been passed by theDelta State House of Assembly. With the passage of the Technical and Vocational Education Board Bill 2015 by the legislature, an Executive Secretary in the person of Comrade Michael Akpobire was appointed by the governor to oversee the administrative machinery of the board which was constituted to stimulate and encourage technical and vocational education in the state by providing direct practical skills for earning a living for unemployed youths in the state.
With his avowed commitment to refocus schools’ curricula in the state as an urgent response to the increasing complexity and challenge of the contemporary global community,Governor Okowa swung into action by embarking on massive rehabilitation of technical colleges in the state in order to revamp technical and vocational education that will empower Deltans with the requisite knowledge and entrepreneurial skills for business, trade and commerce. Though there are six technical colleges in the state but due the dwindling financial profile of the state, the state government decided to embark on the rehabilitation three of the technical colleges in the first phase of the exercise (rehabilitation) while the rehabilitation of the remaining three is expected to be handled in the second phase of the exercise.
As a government that promised Deltanseven provision and distribution of education infrastructure in the state, the Okowa’s administration carefully selected one technical college in each of the three senatorial district for comprehensive rehabilitation in the first phase of the exercise and that was how Agbor, Ofagbe and Sapele Technical Colleges in Delta North, Delta South and Delta Central Senatorial Districts respectively were selected. In each of the colleges, a number of projects being executed by the state government are going on simultaneously. While some of them (the projects) have been completed, others are at various stages of completion.
Again, no sooner had the governor assumed office than headdressed the problem that has to do with illegal conversion of some primary school teachers in the state. It was learnt that the governor’s initial intention was to reverse all the illegal conversions that were done for primary school teachers to their original salary grade level or status but as a governor with listening ears, he did not that again after listening to the explanation of the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT),Comrade Jonathan Jemirieyigbe.
The NUT Boss had explained to the governorthe ignorant nature ofteachers over the actual officer in charge of conversion and the teachers inability to differentiate between original and fake conversion letter during a meeting with him(the governor) and the leadership of the NUT which was, also, attended by the Chairman of Delta State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Comrade Elijah Ologe.The governor who saw reason with the union over the fate of the affected teachers, decided that instead of demoting the teachers that were already converted, it was the officers in SUBEB who were caught in the shoddy deal that should be made to face the wrath of the law while the teachers who got the conversion were made to enjoy the promotion/conversion.
Governor Okowa, no doubt, has stoutly demonstrated passionate interest in the education sector of the state economy from the way he handled the issue that has to do with the suspension of third term examination over non-payment of first and second term examination grant to principals and heads of schools. In addressing this issue, he directed that the approved money for third term examination should be shared into two equal parts, adding that part of it should be used to offset the examination grant of second term which was done and behold, the suspended examinations were conducted the following week. That was how the governor responded to both the plight of principals and heads of schools.
From all indications, teachers in the state have ray of hope and this was vividly expressed by the NUT Chairman in the state, ComradeJemirieyigbe in a recnet media chat when he said “without mincing words, we (teachers in the state) have ray of hope under Senator Okowa’s administration as the relationship between the governor and teachers in the state has been very cordial”. Continuing, the number one teacher in the state emphatically added “in fact, this administration affords us the opportunity, as members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in the state, to bring our problems to the governor for one to one discussion with a view to proffering solutions to them (our problems). At any point in time, text messages or phone calls are put across to him (Governor Okowa) whenever there are issues affecting teachers in the state and he answers to discuss with us with a view to addressing our problems. So, it is a good thing”.
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