By Eugene Chukwudi Okonkwo
One of the most fundamental challenges facing every good family anywhere in the world is the education of their children/wards – the moral, mental and intellectual training that would ultimately equip the children for life. Such is the thirst for education in our part of the world that the average family would give everything just to get their children to go to school. Indeed the desire to give education to their children almost at any cost, is the driving force behind much of the long-standing problem of child trafficking all over Southern Nigeria.
It is against this background, therefore, that the recent declaration of free education from the Primary to the Junior Secondary Level for all children in Government-owned schools in Anambra State is, for all families in the State, the eighth wonder of the world! It is not just a revolution, it is a truly ground-breaking, seismic change, with the potential to radically transform everything in our society!
Nothing like it has ever happened anywhere in Igboland, certainly not in Anambra/East Central State, since the end of the bitter civil conflict in 1970. It is the single, most far-reaching, gift of love from the government to our long-suffering people since the creation of the present state in August 1991. A truly magnanimous gift for every family.
It is necessary to observe, however, that the successful delivery of free education on a sustained basis over time, will require the painstaking, thorough-going commitment, planning and diligent execution of the laudable policy. This is because free education wherever it is meaningfully implemented, throws up tough challenges – all its own: a surge in numbers, inevitably necessitating a rapid increase in the provision of teachers, classrooms, classroom furniture, teaching/learning aids, etc, etc. Hence, Governor Soludo must not at this initial stage permit himself to be bothered with the provision of free books, bags, pens and pencils. Every reasonable family will somehow manage to provide their children/wards with these basic, personal essentials.
The governor must concentrate with unrelenting determination on the effective implementation of the policy in all government schools throughout the State. No person or group of persons anywhere must be allowed to toy with the noble policy.
Hence, we rejoice at the announced sanctioning of five school heads found to be in breach of the rules. The governor was unambiguous. He left exactly no room for doubt. Therefore, they had no excuses.
The sustained implementation of free education in Anambra State will be a massive game-changer, especially if the government would also find the additional will to enforce it by gently but firmly rounding up and taking off the streets, parks and markets, all school-age children working during school hours. Children should not languish in un-edifying toil when they should be at school. No parent or guardian now has any grounds for such child abuse.
The late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo of blessed memory, remains the greatest thing that ever happened to the Yoruba Nation – courtesy of his free education throughout the Old Western Region from 1955 or thereabouts. A great legacy relentlessly pursued by all of his political associates and their successors in the old Action Group, the UPN, ACN et al, wherever they held sway. He made all of the difference between the South West and the rest of Nigeria.
We have also noted with profound appreciation, gratitude and joy, the obvious determination of our erudite professor of Economics, Governor Chukwuma Soludo, to bring other long-lasting quality solutions to bear on Anambra State. We have seen the rigorous, merit-driven recruitment of 5000 secondary school teachers, with the promise to engage more; we have seen the painstaking drive for internally generated revenue; the no-nonsense traffic control efforts resulting in free, vehicular movement all day, along the ever-busy Zik Avenue, Awka, which before now, was a no-go area! We have also noted the very promising efforts at road construction or reconstruction with a long-overdue, more purposeful fly-over at Ekwulobia – that important meeting point of Anambra, Imo and Abia States. Even the Governor’s choice of the Commissioner at the very strategic Ministry of Lands, previously a hotbed of corruption, speaks volumes of his determination to get it right! For we have heard this fine, young man, referred to as “a righteous man”.
Besides regularly and thus far un-failingly paying salaries and pensions on the 25th of every month, we have confirmed reports of our Permanent Secretaries taking a lot more charge than before, and of the Honourable Commissioners driving themselves. Yes, when the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, was fined by the Police early last year for overspeeding, he was driving himself! He speedily paid his fine and tendered apologies in Parliament!
So, thank you, Governor Soludo. Thank you, Sir, for your unprecedented act of love for our struggling people; and ever more grease to your exuberant elbows. God being your helper, you will go down in history as the one who truly made a difference!
*Chukwudi, a retiree and Public Affairs Analyst, writes from Awka