The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno has declared a state of emergency in the education sector and approved the recruitment of 2,000 additional primary school teachers, as well as welfare packages for teachers and private schools.
Governor Eno made the declaration at Uyo Township Stadium at the World Teachers’ Day celebration, saying education was a pillar of his ARISE Agenda.
“Other than the State Ministry of Health that we declared a state of emergency, I hereby declare a state of emergency in the Akwa Ibom State education sector,” he said.
He directed Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, to work with Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ubong Umoh to constitute a high-powered committee to review the sector and develop a framework for standards.
The Governor said; “We trust God that as we constitute the committee on the state of emergency in our educational system, we will have deliverables that will make our students continue to record higher scores in their various promotional examinations.”
“Once our children are educated, they can easily find their ways in life. And, we must take the education of our children very seriously,” he stated.
Governor Eno also approved a N50,000 wardrobe allowance for each teacher in state employment and N500,000 support for each of the 1,776 registered private schools.
He announced the upgrade of the State College of Education, Afaha Nsit, to a University of Education, and appointed Prof. Philip Afaha pioneer Vice-Chancellor.
Encouraging the teachers to rededicate themselves, Governor Eno said: “I want our teachers to work harder and be held accountable in teaching our students; I want them to continue to do training and retraining; let our teachers be in school and stay in school.”
Following a request for support to complete the NUT Secretariat, he directed the Inter-Ministerial Direct Labour Committee to oversee completion of the structure.
The Commissioner for Education, Professor Umoh, thanked Governor Eno for his passion for education, describing him as “a progressive leader who prioritizes change in the sector.”
He said the Governor had demonstrated commendable interest through huge investments in education at all levels.
The NUT National President, Comrade Audu Amba, represented by Comrade Ofonime Ekanem, appreciated the Governor’s welfare packages and commitment to transforming education through model schools and teachers’ quarters.
State NUT Chairman, Comrade Edet Emenyi, described the occasion as momentous, appreciating Eno for keeping faith with teachers and for personally honouring them with his presence.
Keynote speaker, Prof. Aniedi Usoro, thanked Governor Eno for maintaining his status as both an education-friendly and teacher-friendly Governor.
He urged teachers to be adaptive, value-driven and collaborative, and called for workshops and seminars to upskill teachers for global competitiveness.
The NLC Chairman, Comrade Sunny James and affiliate union leaders appreciated Governor Eno’s commitment to education and disclosed their unanimous endorsement of the Governor.
A newly recruited teacher, David Asanga Ukpong, appreciated Governor Eno for a merit-based recruitment exercise, saying successful teachers had collected appointment letters and assumed work.
The event climaxed with teachers’ official endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Governor Eno for re-election in 2027.
The stakeholders pledged renewed commitment to teaching excellence, stronger accountability, continuous training and improved learning outcomes across Akwa Ibom schools.
