Ifere Paul|1 June 2016|11:40am
I have been watching the 1 year governance style of Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State. For some reasons, I decided to stay away and read the reactions of other people. From newspapers editorials to critics, articles and to public policy opinion polls, I was made to understand the heartthrobbing stories of other people.
But just as I waited, people around the world, newspapers, public policy organisations, and many opinion poll builders kept waiting, and they kept pressurizing that I give my assessments. I have been quite busy lobbying for a job at the presidency, and after getting the job, I have been quite busy organising travelling for government officials going to China, and also doing a lot of translation for Chinese investors meeting the Nigerian government. My new job is tasking and energy sapping. So, writing about Ayade and his shoki governance style is dissipating.
I took out time from my busy schedule to bear my mind on the 1 year Governor Ben Ayade's journey in government house.
I know leadership is difficult, that's why I'm trying hard to write this summation without bias or partisan opinion.
That's why I want to write this piece as a comparative analysis instead.
Let me take you on a tour of Nigeria's governors and their policies, and how that is impacting on the people.
Education Policy In Abia State:
For secondary school education, after inauguration, the Governor of Abia State, HE Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu launched the Education for Employment Scheme otherwise called E4E. E4E was launched at Aba Boy's Technical School. The scope of the program is to cover the three senatorial districts.
The Abia State Education for Employment Programme (E4E) will in the next 48 months graduate over 100,000 youths trained in various technical and vocational skills to take up jobs in industries or be self-employment and help grow the economy.
The full Technical Vocational Educational Training, which took off in November with already screened 10,000 students, will be in three pilot Technical Colleges selected from each of the three senatorial zones in the state. The chosen colleges are Boys’ Technical College for Abia South zone; Secondary Technical Umuahia for Abia Central and Government Technical Ohafia for Abia North.
The students are undergoing training in wood works, shoemanson, tiling, hairdressing, cooking, carpentry, tailoring, etc. The government has also partnered with international investors and buyers to come to Aba to invest. Already, Dubai based made in Aba business men are exporting the made in Aba shoes, umbrellas, suits, and native wears abroad.
In the primary education, the Governor of Abia State hired an Australian Educational Consultant to train and retrain primary school teachers in classroom management, interactive teaching curriculum to conform to global standards of teaching.
According to the governor….
“primary one is not a class that should be left for teachers alone, because at that point It is Imperative to capture the attention of the child, that is when fundamental issues are being taught to the child, principles of cognitive sciences, communication, civics and behaviour of your mind. When these facts are applied, a teacher is likely going to produce a child that is psychologically balanced, and adequately prepared for tertiary Institution in the future.”
From the governor's own view, early childhood upbringing and qualitative education is the bedrock of adulthood. The investment in childhood education is very important. Already, demonstration of computer literacy from childhood is altogether applied now in Abia State. Teachers are being taught with iPads and one of the iPad was presented to the governor with all the teachers training application packages in it.
The Education Consultant, Mrs Vivian Peters who was also my teacher trainer with ITTT International contacted me for contract employment to help with logistics because I also served in Abia State. Mrs Vivian and I have discussed a lot about this policy and its impact in the near months.
As part of it efforts to increase enrollment in University Education for young school leavers, the government of Abia State is renovating dormitory and classroom facilities, prompt payment of salaries, bursary and scholarship to qualified students. The Abia State Polytechnic has received its administrative overheads that were not paid by the previous government. The different classroom blocks are being painted and renovated, and many uncompleted projects are being carried on while new ones are being initiated. From University of Uturu to School of Nursing, School of Midwifery, Umuahia and Aba, the governor is working tirelessly to make sure that facilities are upgraded or renovated.
Educational Policy In Cross River State:
The Cross River State government has no educational policy. It is the first time in Nigeria where too professors are the governor and the deputy. One of the professor was one time Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar. But yet, their impact in education is yet to be seen.
To make matters worst, a nurse is overnight appointed as the commissioner of education. This is like putting a square peg in a round hole. The chairman of SUBEB, Dr Steve Odey at resuming office after his apportionment as the Director of SUBEB stated that teachers must wear suits to work. This did not go down well among the teachers and with critics too. Dr Odey appointment came with the loudest ovation from his villagers, and he immediately became the village political lord of Yache Kingdom.
His imprint is nothing to write home about other than an inconclusive teachers verification exercise. An exercise he has been using to witch hunt those that are not in the same political leaning with him. Dr Odey has also been accused of employing teachers from Yala secretly. Apart from a few classroom blocks constructed, furniture replacement in some school, and renovation works, which were used as a point of looting SUBEB Funds, nothing significant has been done to enhance curriculum development, teachers motivation to work, and or teachers welfare management in schools around the State in the last one year. Til date, most schools in Cross River State has no simple staff room furniture.
Dr Stephen Odey assessed several funds from UBEC accounts, central bank, and other development partners in Cross River State education develooment. In the last one year, no amount of money collected were made public. But Cross Riverians got to hear about monies taken by our Co-Governor through the SUBEB Account. Frank was arrested in Abuja with some undisclosed amount.
Our primary schools are left at the mercy of a weakened PTA system for chalk and blackboards replacement. Parents now provide school tables and stools or desks. Some schools in our villages are now laying bare without concrete floors. A situation which makes our students in government schools in urban centres come back home looking dusty as if they are almageris.
Our tertiary education system is looked down on. In the last one year, the CRUTECH imprest for effective administrative management has been cut in half. Even at that, payment is tug-of-war. Lecturers in CRUTECH had remain for over 4 months without pay. Their allocation which has been reduced significantly can no longer meet up the salary strength of CRUTECH. Sometimes CRUTECH lecturers waits for week for students to pay in school fees to complete the balance of the allocation in order to meet up with the obligations of salary payment to staff.
The College of Health Tech Calabar is the hardest hit. Government doesn't pay attention to it at all. And its staff are left to rot in penury.
Ir is sad that the legacy of the previous administration in terms of education are being eroded by two professors. Not long after assuming office, the State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade downgraded the ITM in Ugep. This policy framework has been criticised by even people in government. It has also sparked demonstration among students and staff whose future is hanging balance til now. Even when the government constituted a Committee to look into and review all agreements concerning the School, the Committee has submitted its report to government even when government deliberately starved them off with funds. But the Committee recommendations has so far been ignored.
In Cross River State, the government has no educational policy or plan for the future. What they do is a "kick and go and kick and come" games with our children's future.
For not having any policy framework on education, I score the Inspector General, Governor, Commissioner, Senator, and Professor, Ben Ayade 5% of 100%.
…….To Be Continued
PS:
Cross River State students abroad are gnashing their teeth while the government has already told the public that it has reactivated its scholarship. In a telephone call with one scholar in Russia, she told me that none of their cries and begging has changed Inspector General Ben Ayade's heart. They are still wallowing in pains and penury.
Ifere Paul
Is a Public Policy Analyst & Environmental Activist
