Ebonyi goverment, USAID complete baseline assessment of public primary schools 

With the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Ebonyi State government has completed a baseline assessment of 327 primary schools in the state. 

Speaking during the presentation of the results of the assessment, yesterday, the Executive Chairman of the Ebonyi Universal Basic Education Board, Chief Hyacinth Ikpor, thanked USAID for supporting the state in implementing the project.

“Teachers must recommit themselves to improved standards of teaching and rededicate themselves to their primary duties. On its part, the government will continue to improve teachers’ capacity building, welfare and supervision,” he said. 

In response, the state chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Francis Egwu, commended the state government and USAID for the completion of the baseline assessment.

“We must base reforms in basic education on facts. The fact remains that Ebonyi has a gross inadequacy of teachers. With the current embargo on employment, teachers, who have resigned, retired or left the service, have not been replaced. This leads to over-crowded classrooms and impairs the condition for effective learning,” he said. 

While thanking the governor for his efforts in improving the outcomes of the Ebonyi education system, the Executive Director of Technology for Transformative Development Foundation (TTD), Ewah Eleri, stated that the baseline assessment would allow the state government and education stakeholders to identify priority areas for intervention.

“Such priority areas include improvement of learning capabilities, access to learning materials and overall learning environment. Other areas include teacher recruitment, training and improved conditions of service. 

“Key investments are needed to bring Ebonyi schools to the twenty-first century. These include the scaling up of school infrastructure, improved supply of school furniture, more conducive classrooms, water and sanitation as well as electricity in schools,” he said.