Okorocha kicks out Anambra students, others from free Education, says N40B spent and 800,000 Enrollment

www.odogwublog.com reports that the  Imo State Government has finally excluded non-indigenes formerly benefiting from its free education programme in the state owned tertiary Institutions.

According to a press statement by the chief press secretary to the governor, Sam Onwuemeodo yesterday, the free education was abolished because of non extension to its own indigenes outside the state.

Onwuemeodo also explained that the state government is presently undergoing  verification of Students in all its  tertiary Institutions in the State pointing out that the verification exercise is aimed at making sure that bonafide indigenes of the State are identified to enable them continue to enjoy the free education programme.

The governor's media aide also explained that the verification exercise being coordinated by the Secretary to the Government, Sir George Eche, would be made transparent.


Eche according to the statement is also saddled with the responsibility of making sure  that the verification exercise  is involves the traditional rulers of the indigenes and their State Development Coordinators (SDC) of their respective wards who would finally endorse their forms .

He however disclosed that the state government in the past five years, has spent over N40 billion naira in prosecuting the free Education programme which he noted critics of the state never believed would be possible.

Further disclosing the successes of the programe so far, Onwuemeodo said that  the School enrolment in the State has snowballed to over 800,000  from the 280,000  it was in 2011.

This he added might have prompted the Registrar/CEO of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede who visited the state recently to disclosed that " for six consecutive years now, Imo State has continued to lead in JAMB applications and admissions with Delta State maintaining the second position. And the registrar concluded that the Free Education Programme in the State was the reason behind the feat"

Governor Rochas Okorocha according to the statement has vowed not to take it lightly with any traditional ruler or State Development Coordinator who would compromise on the genuine intention of the state government on ,while insisting that the free education has come to stay.