…Abia Government gives Reasons
By Uche Nelson
Abia State government has given reasons why it directed public and private schools in the state to resume on Monday, September 28, 2020.
The government says the move is to checkmate the failing down of education in the, citing a situation where school children that would have been in class are seen hawking wares on the streets.
In a radio programme in Umuahia on Friday the Commissioner for Education in the state, Dr Kanechi Nwangwa continued clossure schools could to prostitution and other sundry crimes.
The pupils/students, he said, will complete the 3rd term of 2019/2020 academic session before starting a new term.
Nonetheless, announcing this in a statement in Umuahia on Friday, the State Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu who said he had earlier briefef journalists on issue, explained that schools should observe one week of revision classes.
He opined that the decision to reopen schools was taken at the state executive council held on Thursday, and that Third term (promotion) examination which is expected to start from Monday, 5th October to Friday, 16th October, 2020, will be used to assess pupils/students based on the first and second term tutorials as well as the radio/television classroom programme.
Said he in the statement, “First term of 2020/21 session for primary and secondary schools in the state will start on 26th October, 2020, as teachers will go on one week break to enable them mark and compute promotional examination results. The term will end on the 23rd of December, 2020.
“The Honorable Commissioner for Education, Dr K C K Nwangwa will publish other details related to school resumption including protocols to ensure the protection of school children from COVID-19 infection, approved fees chargeable by private schools and other guidelines”.
The Abia Information Commissioner disclosed that the State Executive Council in the meeting approved the resumption of tertiary institutions in the state based on the time table and protocols submitted to the state government, as will be announced by the management of each school.
The government’s image maker emphasized that the government has noted with delight the improvements in internally generated revenue (IGR) and therefore directed the Abia State Internal Revenue Agency and heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) in the state to redouble their efforts to ensuring that the set target for 2020 is achieved regardless of the disruptions occasioned by the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.
On road infrastructure in the state, Okiyi Kalu said that the government approved the establishment of road maintenance committees in all the Local Governments of the state to ensure the achievement of the zero pothole policy of the state government.
Against this backdrop, the Abia Information boss revealed that the council also approved the constitution of a committee that will oversee the transmutation of Abia State Road Maintenance Agency (ABROMA) to a limited liability company that will bid for road maintenance and construction jobs independent of government funding.
Members of the Committee led by the Secretary to State Government, Barr Chris Ezem, he revealed, include the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr Uche Ihediwa, Commissioner for Works, Elder Bob Ogu and Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu.
He used the forum to disclose that the government has awarded contracts for the construction or rehabilitation of some roads in the state, stating that the roads billed for construction or rehabilitation are those that will facilitate and give boost to the state economy.
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