The Commissioner for Education Prof. (Mrs) viola Adaku Onwuliri, has challenged private school owners under the aegis of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) on the need to employ qualified and certified teachers in their schools.
Prof. Onwuliri gave the challenge at the 2019 NAPPS Day Celebration held at the Premier Primary School Amaifeke Orlu, with the theme “Revamping the Ailing Education System for National Development and wellbeing”. She said the Rebuild Imo programme of Governor Ihedioha, would ensure quality education for Imo children, reiterating that there would be no quality education without qualified and certified teachers.
The Commissioner who spoke through her representative, the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry also expressed worry over the proliferation of Private Schools in the State. She maintained that many of them are operating illegally and without the ministry’s approval. Prof. Onwuliri stated that government would stem the tide by clamping down on those schools.
In his speech, the Interim Management Committee Chairman of Orlu Local Government Area, represented by the Deputy Chairman, Hon. Barrister Modestus Nwaele, commended the NAPPS chapter in the area for packaging the event. He assured that the leadership of the local government would always partner with the Association to ensure that Imo children are given quality education in the area.
The National President of the Association, Dr Sally Adiukwu-Bolujoko, in her address called for the convocation of an all important education stakeholders conference.
The National President whose address was read by Hon. Builder Nwobi Savour, said that an all stakeholders conference where collective responsibility to revamp the education system by aggregating and raising the political will and consciousness to address various problems bedeviling the education sector is urgently needed to redeem the ailing education sector.
Dr. Adiukwu-Bolujoko noted that the theme was apt and timely because of the manifest rots in the system and therefore appealed to all the participants to avail themselves this rare opportunity to examine relevant Issues begging for attention and proffer solutions. She said as a group with the higher numbers of education sector players the onerous task of leading in revamping the sector, for global best practices and quality service delivery is imperative.
She enjoined NAPPS members to build relevant and requisite capacity which is the hallmark of good educational system and encouraged them as a self regulatory association to continue to uphold the core values of professionalism, equity, discipline, religious tolerance, patriotism and integrity to enable them be incubators of knowledge and orientation required to provide and create the change needed for national development and transformation.
Speaking, the State chairman of NAPPS, Chief Theo Mbakwe, appealed to the Rebuild Imo Government of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, to encourage NAPPS for quality delivery by granting them exemptions from most taxes and levies in the state, to enable the NAPPS attain quality and standard. He revealed that the State Executive Council (SEC) of the Association is poised to maintain stronger relationship with the ministry of education and said that full autonomy and level playing ground have been provided for all the LGAs NAPPS members to operate.
The Orlu Local Government Area NAPPS Chapter Coordinator, Hon. Builder Nwaobl Saviour (Ezenwa), who is the Proprietor of Bestway Secondary Technical School Amalfeke/Okporo Orlu, in his speech enjoined all the NAPPS members in the area to ensure that they come to the ministry to regularize their existence to avoid falling prey to the committee on Illegal and unapproved schools.
The celebration featured march past, cultural dance and a novelty football match among the private school owners in the area. Winners of various categories were later presented with trophies and certificates of participation.
