SOLUDO’S EDUCATION REFORMS: A COMPREHENSIVE VISION TO TRANSFORM ANAMBRA PUBLIC SCHOOLS INTO BEACONS OF EXCELLENCE

By Christian ABURIME

In a resolute stride towards revitalizing the public education sector in Anambra State, Governor Charles Soludo, CFR, recently convened a pivotal gathering with head teachers and principals from public schools across the state.

By articulating his administration’s unwavering commitment to raise the standard of education in Anambra’s public schools, the governor has unveiled an innovative initiative that shows he really means business in his relentless education interventions.

The new initiative puts in place an interactive platform of allowing pupils and students to assess their teachers’ performance through dedicated government-provided phone lines, a move aimed at fostering enhanced teaching effectiveness.

There are also plans for an independent evaluation mechanism, comprising professionals, to assess schools. This mechanism will also provide a platform for students, parents, and communities to contribute to the evaluation process, ensuring transparency and accountability throughout the entire system.

Furthermore, the governor pledged to strive towards a future where textbooks for children in public schools would be readily available at no cost. This promise indeed embodies the administration’s dedication to leveling the educational playing field and ensuring that every child has equal access to learning resources.

Also, in alignment with his commitment to pervasive technological integration, the governor announced plans to furnish public schools with government-issued laptops and facilitate free Wi-Fi access. This transformative agenda seeks to position public schools in Anambra as exemplars of educational excellence for the entire state.

As a leader who is passionate about inclusive governance, Governor Soludo is candidly concerned about the glaring disparity between the educational experiences of children from affluent backgrounds and those from economically disadvantaged families.

He stressed that equal opportunity to all, not affluent or those from rich background, is the true differentiator. So, the state government will keep demonstrating a profound sense of duty towards the children in public schools, recognizing their potential as the bedrock of a prosperous society and creating an enabling learning environment for them.

Accordingly, as educators in the state are challenged to be champions of positive change, to uplift the burden from the poor parents and guardians of the children in public schools, so also emphasis is placed on the imperative of Public-Private-Community Partnerships and the establishment of patron’ clubs within public schools, to underscore the significance of quality assurance in the state’s educational landscape.

This call for collective action definitely falls in line with the ethos of the governor’s political party, APGA, which espouses the motto: “Be your brother’s keeper.” It all implies that the state government cannot do it all alone. Everybody’s contribution to the educational reforms is needed, especially in a state like Anambra where the private sector controls a larger share of resources.

On its part, the Soludo government’s recent abolition of fees and levies from nursery to primary six, and JSS 1 to JSS 3, as well as reduction of fees in SS1-SS3 to N5, 000, is a testament to the administration’s dedication to accessible education for all. At the same time, the government understands that the cost implications to school administrations have to be addressed.

For instance, Anambra’s primary schools complained about their running costs which ranged from N800 to about N2,000 per month, depending on the population of each school. While abolishing fees and levies for students, the state government has now raised the primary schools’ running costs to a minimum of N50,000 per month to be borne by the government.

Also, secondary schools in Anambra were given N10,000 per month as running costs (N30, 000 per term). Now, the secondary schools are to retain all of the N5, 000 school fees paid by each of the senior students (SS1-SS3) for their running costs as the minimum, while the government will augment some schools depending on the population of students. For example, a school with 1,000 senior students can now have N5,000, 000 as their running costs per term.

Without doubt, Governor Soludo’s comprehensive vision for educational reforms promises to transform Anambra’s public schools into beacons of excellence, where every child, regardless of background, can flourish and contribute to the state’s collective prosperity in the future. This endeavour is not merely an investment in education, but a profound commitment to the future of Anambra and its citizens. Indeed, Solution is here!