Edo State to prioritise education, says Governor Obaseki

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said his administration would prioritise education to ensure the sector received rapid infrastructural development in continuation of the policies put in place by the previous administration.

The governor disclosed this in Benin yesterday, at the 77th plenary meeting of the Joint Consultative Committee on Education (JCCE) held in New Era College, where the permanent secretary represented him, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Osazuware Idahosa.

Addressing delegates, the governor called on the stakeholders in the education sector to deliberate meaningfully and ensure that the challenges militating against the sector were nipped in the bud.

He also charged them to come up with qualitative policies that would put value on education for effective service delivery, reaffirming the state government’s commitment to the laudable programme.

The Chairperson of JCCE, Magdalene Anene Maidoh, said the meeting was to examine the memorandum that has come from the reference committee concerning policy issues in education.

She added that the overall objective of the meeting was to develop a policy framework that captured, inclusively, a system of education in Nigeria where everyone had equal opportunity to learn, regardless of vulnerability and disability.

The stakeholder explained that this could only be achievable if teachers’ capacities were expanded, and their role in nation building was recognised.

At the event were delegates drawn from across the education sector in the 36 states of the federation.

Meanwhile, the state yesterday began the screening and verification process of prospective officers of the State Traffic Control and Management Agency, who had erstwhile registered through the Edo Jobs initiative.

The Managing Director of the agency, Mr. Dennis Oleregbe in Benin City said the verification process included an interview as well as physical check-ups to ensure they were sound and qualified to do the job.

He said 100 people would be screened daily for five days, and that the process had, thus far, been successful.

He warned members of the public about forgery, adding that prospective workers should ensure they appeared at the screening venue with the originals of their credentials.