By Onyinyechi Kanu
The Commissioner of Education in Imo State, Prof. (Mrs) Viola Adaku Onwuliri, has said that, she will within the limit of her ability restore the lost glory of education in public schools while also restoring discipline and morals in the education sector.
She made this statement while addressing principals of Imo State public schools during their two (2) days training on “managing of facilitators and learners in 21stcentury school system”, held at the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) secretariat, Port Harcourt road, Owerri, on Wednesday, August 27, 2019.
Prof. Onwuliri said that while the Governor, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, is bent on rebuilding Imo, she and other school administrators are tasked with rebuilding the educational system in Imo State, which programme starts with inculcating discipline, morals and the basic rudiments of leadership skills, in the education facilitators.
Continuing, Prof. Onwuliri while commending the effort of school principals so far in educating our children, pointed out that principals of junior and senior secondary schools must stand in the gap to cover up what a child missed in his/her primary school education, as well as expose the child in all aspects of learning, without which according to her, “you cheat the child”.
Onwuliri warned the principals to take their God-given assignment seriously, which including educating our children, emphasizing that “education is the highest investment ever and educating children are more important than any other thing you do because children are the future of tomorrow”, the posterity we all crave for.
She also warned the principals against punishing a child for speaking Igbo language in class and that it is wrong to teach Igbo language once in a week while English is taught everyday. She objected to the rising cases of extortion of the children, frowning at lateness, absenteeism and laziness associated with the teachers and children. She instructed the principals to manage their schools very well, so as to restore and maintain discipline.
According to her, the education of Imolites is important to the Governor, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, and he is very passionate about it and will try his best to assist the ministry, but the greater work lies on our shoulders in molding the children properly because it is a colossal damage not to demonstrate your knowledge after school.
She further stated that Imo children are brilliant and have the highest scores in this years JAMB/WAEC results but were disappointed when none of the highest scores are from Imo State public schools which she added that the Governor has urged our teachers to teach our children in public schools, so that they will be celebrated next time.
She urged the teachers to dress decently and be a role model to the students, make our children read to avoid examination malpractices and help the slow students because when a student did not learn, a teacher has not taught. She announced that Governor Emeka Ihedioha, has ordered furniture for our schools and the renovation of all schools, will soon begin.
