Anambra State Government has increased the monthly running cost for public schools in the state from ten thousand to a minimum of fifty thousand naira.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo made the announcement while holding an interactive session with Head teachers and Principals of public schools in the state at the International Convention Centre Awka.
Governor Soludo also assured that there will be an upgrade in infrastructure in all public schools in the state in coming weeks.
He called for more community involvement under the Public, Community, Pri vate Partnership arrangement in the schools; such as in engaging in quality assurance and club of patrons to better the quality of education in the schools.
The Governor pointed out that his administration will come up with an independent monitoring team for schools, as well as provide phone numbers for schools as a feedback mechanism.
He expressed optimism that his administration will eventually get to the point where text books for children in public schools will be free, stressing that the aim is to make education accessible to the poorest of the poor, mainstreaming public schools to become smart and model.
Governor Soludo stated that part of the goal is to end the era of “PTA” teachers in schools, reiterating that the prosperous homeland cannot be attained by creating the vicious circle of the widening difference between the quality of education received by children of the poor and that of the rich.
He said that the primary role of government is to provide qualitative education, and stressed that the quality of education in the public schools appears to be the weakest, assuring that his administration intends to bring back the era of using education as an equalizer and ladder of opportunities.
The state Commissioner for Education, Professor Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, said that the Governor has the passion to serve, and is engendering solutions in all aspects of the state economy.
She added that the Governor is working to give the best sustainable education, asking the teachers to rally support for him.
