Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Thursday flagged off the reconstruction and furnishing of 175 Basic Schools across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.
These schools are in deplorable condition, thus making teaching and learning difficult.
Speaking at the flag off of the reconstruction of the schools which was held at the State School, Rebisi in Port Harcourt, Governor Wike said nobody would believe that the immediate past administration left schools to decay to this level.
The governor disclosed that when his administration took over, the immediate past administration did not access UBEC, adding that the State Government accessed the funds for the re-positioning of basic schools in the state.
He stressed that after paying the counterpart fund, the state now has N5.6billion to address the infrastructural challenges of selected basic schools.
His statement reads, “the entire world should see that a school like this exists in Port Harcourt. Imagine the condition of schools in the rural areas. Just imagine that the past administration claimed that they revolutionised education. All they did was to construct a few schools by the roadside.
“The funds for the reconstruction and furnishing of these schools have been set aside. Therefore, funding will not be an issue. I direct that payment should be done by milestone. The contractors should be paid based on the work they do. There should be nothing like variation”.
He warned that the reconstruction should be holistic so as to enhance teaching and learning in all the schools.
The reconstructed basic schools is expected to have the following facilities: new furniture, sports facilities, Information/communication equipment, standby generator, boreholes, toilets , head-teacher office and table-top fridges.
According to him, his administration has awarded contracts for the equipping of laboratories of selected secondary schools and re-stocking of libraries.
“While the immediate past administration used over N4billion to build one school, we are using slightly above N1billion to build one school. This is a prudent administration “.
Remarking, Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Venerable Fyneface Akah hinted that the reconstruction is being done via the Federal Government Universal Basic Education Commission/Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board 2014-2016 Intervention Projects for Rivers State.
“One great benefit the day’s event holds for education and indeed for all of us , is that it offers a time for common reflection on the very needful and yet neglected aspect of educational organisation which hitherto was a prime place.
“We appeal to community and local government leadership in the state to realise that we now live in a time when all must respond to the invitation to stand with the state government to own and ensure security of school staff and facilities provided by government for use in our various communities, said Akah.
