Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has attributed the sharp drop in poverty rate in the state to the free education policy of his administration, even as he vows to sustain it.

According to a recent World Bank report, between 2011 and 2014, poverty rate in the state dropped from 59 to 19 per cent, the same period Okorocha assumed duty as the governor of the state.

Speaking at the weekend at his country home in Ogboko, the governor said parents and guardians, who were paying fees for their children and wards prior to his election, have now diverted such resources to other needs to improve their lives following the free education policy.

Okorocha who said enrolment of school children in various schools in the 637 autonomous communities in the 27 local councils, showed an increase of over 100 per cent, further stated that based on available statistics, Imo students were also performing well in the Unified Tertiary and Matriculation Examinations (UTME) and other national examinations/competitions.

He pledged his administration’s commitment to continue to build and rehabilitate school blocks and classrooms as well as provide qualitative education in the state.