By Samuel Odungide
Governor Udom Emmanuel’s adventurism in the Education sector excites stakeholders in Akwa Ibom State
The state Governor Mr Udom Emmanuel, is a well lettered man, sentient and a Politician.
This is so, because he is not boisterous but deliberate in sensing the need of the society as it is beneficial to individuals and sustainably viable.
Notably, his passion for Education and educating the entire state as it were, is glaringly visible in his 2021 State Budget presented to the State’s Hallowed Chamber and a deliberate move with his Industrialization Policy cum Completion Agenda of his administration.
The importance of Education cannot be overemphasized in any circumstances.
It is the key to all-round success of any developed economy.
It relieves the state or country the burden of unemployment, social and political stagnation, religious intolerance, illogical thinking and restiveness.
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Education is not the best or solid legacy but, the only legacy any responsible government can bequeath her populace.
In retrospect, the immediate past administration made a shortsighted policy decision by declaring a Free and Compulsory Education in Akwa Ibom State for children and youths residing in the state in a veneer attempt to blot out illiteracy and shore up manpower potentials of the Akwa Ibom person.
The move was lofty but illogical to the realities of the time and need of the system.
It amounted to putting the Cart before the Horse.
Thank God, a more technical approach is being mooted by governor Udom Emmanuel to rejuvenate the education sector holistically.
His cognizance of the fact that Akwa Ibom State has intellectuals within and outside the state and thereby, moves to harness their potentials by forming a ‘Think Tank’ to serve as a resource centre for knowledge and intelligence reservoir is looking at a broader picture for a workable solution to the dearth of scientific and technological innovations in the state, nay, country.
In his 2021 ‘Budget of Reconstruction’ with a focus in transforming the state’s Civil Service status quo to an industrialized one, it almost immediately, make you feel like Butterflies in your stomach.
In his words “…Education is the key component of the human capital development of our Completion Agenda and will be given a pride of place.”
Education, as we know, creates the ability to apply science and technology to create jobs and compete globally with our peers. When citizens are properly educated, they will conveniently contribute to the development of their families and society in all ramifications.
As job competition in an economic turmoil society escalates and thousands are vying, skills, knowledge, experience and quality education becomes an advantage and an added boost as first line considerables.
The ingredients of this declared state of emergency in the education sector which includes, training of teachers, re-training of teachers, teacher recruitment, perimeter fencing of all schools, provision of water facilities in schools and infrastructures, the constitution of monitoring committee including the village council to monitor school infrastructures tells a lot about the mindset of the governor who has put in humongous amount of funds and manpower into a sector (education) which will albeit, drive his industrialization vision for the state and in the process, since education tackles how to obtain and develop critical and logical thinking to make independent decisions, open up employment options and higher wages for the people of the state.
Arguably, education runs through all sectors of the economy. Therefore, the need for a stable and strong economy begins with attainment of sound academic education which will deliberately kick start our state economic recovery.
This, of course will outlive the state administration but will ensure future economic bliss, improve economy, problem solving skills, employment and higher wages, provision of prosperous and happy family and creating a modern society with better social integration.
It is however, pertinent to note here, the recurring ‘Nigeria Factor’ in implementation programmes in our clime of such futuristic endeavor.
The state governor, must exact enough strong political willpower to be able to succeed in his quest for a better Akwa Ibom.
The yet to be recruited teachers and the ones on ground should be orientated to the fact that their services will be primarily in the hinterland.
The Village Council Committee should also include working security personnel, journalist and Human Right Organization to give it teeth for effective policing and the realisation of this Akwa Ibom vision.
