Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has been given Governor of the Year Award in Education by New Telegraph Newspapers. The award is in recognition of the giant strides his administration has made in the education sector.

The award will be conferred on him during the award ceremonies coming up later in the year.

Within the first year of the administration, it has constructed over 100 schools, employed over 6,000 teachers and increased subvention to tertiary institutions which saw Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma having its subvention increased from N41 million monthly to N500 million.

Listing some other achievements of the governor, Commissioner for Education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu, mentioned the construction of new workshops, procurement of sophisticated equipment and strengthening technical colleges across the state.

“The state government has also signed international partnerships that have seen many teachers and students from the state going abroad to study and learn. The governor has also increased the subvention to Edo University, Iyamho from N25 million monthly to N250 million. We have done the digitalisation of certificates across schools, and anybody anywhere can have access to their certificates.

“There is also the construction of six-kilometre internal roads in the only state owned polytechnic in Usen after 23 years of its existence via partnership with the NDDC. We have introduced bursary payment to students after 20 years. There is also the ongoing dualisation of Ekpoma Road with concrete and fixing of street lights with support from President Bola Tinubu to ease the age-long suffering of both students and commuters.

“Also, it is the administration that resolved the predicament of 128 medical students of AAU who could not be inducted four years after graduation. The same way the government resolved the issue of 810 nursing graduates of the university who were not inducted. Similarly, over 1,000 students who had irregularities in their admission processes with JAMB were unable to be mobilised for the NYSC scheme until the governor stepped in.

“The government is not relenting as there is the ongoing construction of 600 hostel capacity in AAU, as well as the ongoing work on two in one 500 sitting capacity lecture theatre in AAU. Teachers welfare is also top priority and our teachers have never had it so good. There is also this strategic partnership with NELFUND to ensure no child in Edo tertiary institution is sent home because of school fees,” he said.

Iyamu noted that the recognition given Governor Okpebholo was well deserved and that it would spur him to do more, adding that more are still coming