Critical stakeholders in the education sector in Ebonyi state have lauded the various intervention programmes of Governor Francis Nwifuru’s administration in the education sector describing the development as critical.

They made their position known after embarking on a tour of selected state’s tertiary institutions and projects of the Governor led by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Students Mobilisation, Hon Angela Odono.

The group visited many state’s institutions including the Ebonyi State University of ICT, Science and Technology, Oferekpe; Ebonyi State College of Education, Ikwo; and Ebonyi State College of Nursing Sciences.

Speaking to Journalists, Odono, said the exercise was less about political rhetoric and more about putting records, beneficiaries and physical projects before the public.

“In recent times, we heard claims in certain quarters that the present administration has not achieved anything or has done little of what other states have done.

Today, the Ebonyi State students and indeed the entire student stakeholders in the education sector, we consider it necessary to bring the conversation back to the facts.”

She said education had been made a central component of the administration’s People’s Charter of Needs, pointing particularly to postgraduate scholarships awarded to Ebonyi indigenes in Nigeria and abroad.

“The current administration has made education a central component of its People’s Charter of Need. The state government has publicly highlighted local and foreign postgraduate course scholarship intervention, including the scholarship for Ebonyi State graduates in universities within Nigeria and overseas,” Odono said.

According to her, during the 2024/2025 academic session, 204 graduates were selected for overseas postgraduate scholarships, while 700 were enrolled for local postgraduate studies.

Vice-Chancellor of Ebonyi State University of ICT, Science and Technology, Engineer Professor Ernest Itumo Egba said the institution was preparing to commence academic activities at the new site adding that the university had given October 5 as the target date for relocation.

“Yesterday, the governor and the stakeholders of the state were here. After taking a look at what is happening, the governor is still insisting that 5th October is 5th October. He said he will do his wonders, starting our 2026-2027 academic session. And our students will bear witness with me that we are going to start here by God’s grace.”

The vice-chancellor described the institution as Nigeria’s first university focused specifically on ICT, saying its curriculum was designed around the needs of major technology industries.

The university, he explained, seeks to ensure that students acquire professional certifications in addition to their university degrees.

“The idea is before a student graduates here from any discipline, if the person wants to learn and wants to acquire or to become successful, certified by international big tech industries, they are free, and we train them in a way that they will achieve, like not less than six certificates outside the certificate that UICT will give them.”

He said interest in the institution was already growing, with the university’s intake for the coming session put at 1,100 students.

At Ebonyi State College of Education, Ikwo, officials described the governor’s intervention as significant to the institution’s expansion.

Professor Benedict Mba, the institution’s Provost, said the government had consistently allocated significant attention to education and that the college had benefited from the administration’s interventions.

He cited regular payment of salaries, free transportation for staff living in town and the scholarship scheme for students.

“As it concerns tertiary education and the Ebonyi State College of Education in particular, the government has done a lot,” he said.

“The students study here without paying school fees. They study under a scholarship. The government takes care of the tuition fee of every student here, accommodation and living expenses.”

He also highlighted the institution’s transition from an NCE-awarding college to a degree-awarding institution following legislation by the state government.

The Students’ Union President, Ucheji Cosmos Ejike, pointed to the completed staff quarters and a school building said to be about 98 per cent complete.

“For example, the school staff quarters are completed, and the school building is 98% completed. Some other structures are included in place, including other amenities in the school, ongoing repeatedly. And because of that, we say a big thank you to the governor,” he said.