From Rose Ejembi and Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
As primary and secondary schools resume across the country, the Chairman of State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, in Benue state, Comr. Joseph Utse has encouraged parents to ensure their children return to school.
Utse, who spoke to our correspondent in his office in Makurdi, said that every child deserves to be in school and cautioned parents who are in the habit of sending their children to hawk to desist from such acts.
While he acknowledged that the economy of the country is making it difficult for most parents to feed and pay school fees of the children, Utse urged parents in Benue to rather approach SUBEB for counseling and direction to enable them get help with their education.
“Hawking is not what a child should take as a hubby or a way of living. It destroys rather than building the child.
“I want to call on our parents to take advantage of the facilities provided by the state government to ensure that the Benue child gets quality education.
Mr Utse disclosed that the administration of Governor Samuel Ortom had prioritized education among other sectors and is poised to leaving a legacy for the Benue child.
According to him, before the schools resumed a few days ago, the state government, in collaboration with United Nation Education Fund, UNICEF, embarked on massive school enrollment campaign for basic education, a development he said, has yielded results.
“The government also provided instructional and learning materials for schools across the state as well as in IDP camps in Guma, Makurdi, Buruku, Kwande LGAs and other places.
“State government, through the office of the First Lady, also organized training for some rural women in sewing and in other skills and supported them with working tools and take of grants to enable them support their families and their children in particular.”
He said government has also pronounced the employment of 2,500 teachers to replace those who have died and those who have retired while approval has been given for the promotion of teachers which has been stalled for the past 16 years.
He noted that the administration of Governor Samuel Ortom, through counterpart funding, has constructed about 288 primary school blocks of classroom and renovated 423 blocks.
“We have also provided 81,183 ultra modern desks and chairs for the use of teachers and the students and have dug over 157 boreholes in areas that lack water to enable students learn in a clean and safe environment.”
He called on the federal government to support Benue government with more funds to provide the needed quality education for the Benue child just as he urged Benue people to take advantage of the facilities and their their wards the best.