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By Ejiro Nesisa
In the face of delayed and sometimes non -availability of subventions which are to be given to Principals in public schools to run minor expenses in the schools across Delta State, it was learnt that the Delta State Commissioner, Basic and Secondary Education, Mrs Rose Ezewu has allegedly mandated (without option) Principals in the state to pay for, or with their money produce the portrait picture of the Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori and she herself to be displayed in their various offices in the schools across the state, the action which would place financial burden on them.
It was learnt that the said project would cost each of the schools’ Principals the sum of #40,000 which they would not find easy to do since they are over stretched in their areas of finance in some maintenance of their schools to make their school comfortable for the students to learn since schools resumed for 2023/2024 academic session.
Reacting to this development, the Chairman, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Delta State branch, Comrade Jonathan Giama said it is a wrong move by the Education Commissioner, Mrs Rose Ezewu if the information is true since neither the various Principals are given subventions nor grants to help run expenses in the their various schools.
According to him, already, investigations revealed that many schools Principals buy white board markers and do some maintenance with little money got from new students’ admission(which is once in a session) which is not even proper as the government’s budget is enough to run the public schools to completely eradicate illiteracy from our country. Now, the Principals are trying to put things to the best of the little resources they have. He said,where would the Commissioner expect the Principals to generate such money to pay and or embark on such a project?.
He said it is not out of place for the portrait picture of the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and that of the Commissioner to be in the Principals’ offices but that, that financial burden should not be placed on the Principals as the Education as a Ministry has budgets to embark on such a project.
His words:” l condemn it in its entirety if it true that Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education ,Mrs Rose Ezewu has mandated Principals across the state to pay and or use their money to foot such expenses’.Where would the Commissioner expect the Principals to generate such money and embark on such project?, Is it from their meager salary or where? he added.
According to him, what education Commissioner should be working on is how to liase with Governor Oborevwori to see that dilapidated school structures, schools without seats(desks) for students to learn and other facilities lacking in the schools are put in place to create conducive environment for effective teaching and learning to take place. He therefore called on the Education Commissioner to shelve this idea as it is against the principles of equity, fairness and justice as that policy does not have human face.
On his part, the Lead Pastor, Family House Church International Warri, Delta State, Pastor Emmanuel Osiegbu said to him, he saw no relevance of the picture of the Governor and that of the Commissioner in the office of the Principals in the schools in the state. He however said if such must to be the case, the expenses should be incurred by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education.
His words:” To me in person, l don’t see the need for the portrait picture of the Governor and that the Commissioner but if it must be done, the bill should be footed by the Ministry of Education”. All attempts to reach the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education Education, Mrs Rose Ezewu to get her side of the story proved abortive as she could not be reached as the time of filling in this report.