MUST WE CONTINUE TO CHASE SHADOWS AND PLAY IN THE GALLERY?
I am a product of the public schools. All the schools I attended, from primary school to secondary school, were government-owned institutions, and they were all in Anambra State.
I was in JSS 2 at Igwebuike Grammar School in Awka when Mr. Peter Obi assumed office as governor of Anambra State. I remember in nostalgia that faithful day he visited our school and told us that our tuition fee was free, and all of us were chanting his name, Obi! Obi! Obi! Obi! He even gave his phone number to our then-senior prefect. On getting home, I shared the good news with my parents, and they were all glad.
I also learned that Obiano continued with such a policy because my siblings also attended government-owned public schools.
Therefore, the declaration of zero tuition fees and other levies from nursery to JSS3 in public schools by Prof. Charles C. Soludo, CFR, the executive governor of Anambra State, is more like consolidating on the usual governance ritual of his predecessors and hence not alien to Onye Anambra, who is abreast with history.
I expected a better approach and direction from our cerebral governor. I was expecting him to also declare a state of emergency for all government-owned school infrastructure, as he did on all roads in Anambra State last year, which prompted the award of over 250km of roads within his first six months in office.
Regrettably, almost all public schools in Anambra State are no longer conducive to learning. The infrastructure is in a comatose state (go and verify).
I remember seeing a video online a few days ago where the management of Ezi-Awka Community Secondary School in Awka called for help from private and affluent individuals to assist them with the renovation of their dilapidated classroom blocks. The story is also the same at Agulu Awka Community School, Igwebuike Grammar School, and Capital City Secondary School, amongst others. I decided to use the public schools in Awka as a reference point because it’s an environment I am familiar with and know the nooks and crannies of the town. Secondly, they are within the state capital, which is the epicentre of all activities.
Notwithstanding, I genuinely applaud the governor for following the path of his predecessors, especially at these hard and excruciating moments. He has once again demonstrated capacity, ingenuity, and proclivity for the advancement of our educational system.
However, it is expedient that he look inwardly into improving the learning environment of these public schools, as it remains the only route to resuscitating our public schools and setting them on the path of greatness.
May Anambra succeed!
~Ikechukwu Augustine Obah
(Mgboejiejeogu)
22 September 2023
