By Jude Michael
The Anambra State Government has taken over the Comprehensive Secondary School, Ugbene, in Awka North Local Government Area of the state, a development that was joyfully received by the people of the community, Tuesday.
The school which was established five years ago had been managed by the community and some public spirited members of the town, including the former President General, Emmanuel Nwude, and his Secretary, Emmanuel Ibe.
Speaking during the occasion, the President General of the community, Chief Emmanuel Chike, praised Governor Chukwuma Soludo for lifting off their shoulders the burden of management of the school.
He however appealed for the absorption of 15 indigenous teachers who had been engaged in the school since inception into the ongoing teachers’ recruitment.
He also pleaded for security personnel, assuring that the teachers who passed the examination set by the Ministry would stay and work in the community if posted.
He said: ‘Ugbene Community shall continue to appreciate the Governor of the state for his numerous developmental projects across the state, especially for his kind approval for the handover ceremony to take place.
‘Indeed, the Solution is here. To our erudite Prof Ngozi Chuma Udeh, your records so far are outstanding and can’t be equated with the previous commissioners from the Ministry of Education.’
Responding, the Commissioner for Education, Prof Ngozi Chuma Udeh, said the school’s takeover was in line with Soludo’s vision of providing quality education to the people of the state.
‘Ugbene is a progressive community that thinks about the future generation. I want to assure you that the way the Governor built quality roads for you is the way he will give you quality education.
‘We’ll post quality teachers and a principal that will teach all subjects. We’ll also ensure your lab is adequately equipped.
‘We post JS1 and SS2 from students who passed Common Entrance and Basic Education Certificate Examination respectively,’ she assured.
The Chairman, Post Primary Schools Service Commission (PPSSC) Prof Nkechi Ikediugwu, said the Commission was willing to meet the community’s request but insisted that only qualified teachers would be deployed to the school.
‘We won’t take NCE as well as those who failed the teachers’ recruitment examination in accordance with Soludo’s directive of quality education,’ she said.
The Secretary, PPSSC, Benedine Anagor, disclosed that the community was the third school the government was taking over in the Area Council.
The Traditional Ruler of the community, Igwe Samson Chimakwa, was full of thanks to the state government for coming to their aid, expressing optimism of an improved system.
‘We’ve suffered for years taking care of the school until the government decided to take over the school. We expect to see improvement, both in quality and quantity of the school,’ he posited.
The Acting Principal of the school, Mrs. Evangeline Okoye, described the handover ceremony as a load lifting, expressing the confidence of better welfare package for the teachers and other workers in the school.
