Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara stated on Wednesday that 75% of his state’s primary schools are facing a teacher shortage, while 90% are dilapidated.
Fubara stated that he became aware of the state’s dismal primary schools when a corporation, New Global, in its quest to work with his administration to improve teacher capacity, conducted field assessments of the staff that they want to educate.
Fubara considered the field report alarming and disheartening, especially because the organisation was unable to recruit enough teachers to train.
The governor made the revelation in a statement on Wednesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi. He, however, expressed his determination to turn the situation around.
He stated, “It will surprise you to note that an agency came to Rivers State. They call them ‘New Global’, and they were willing to spend $5m. It is not for infrastructure but to train our teachers, to provide software and other things to improve the learning process at the primary level.
“I told them to go round and assess the primary schools in the state. After their assessment, you won’t believe it that 75 per cent of our primary schools have no teachers; 90 percent of the schools are dilapidated.
“So, how will you now put in the $5m? So, when I talk about education, I really mean it. It’s not education where we renovate schools, and call people for inauguration. We are talking about touching what is important, because, for us to develop as a society, for us to get it right from the foundation, it is at the primary school level.
“If we don’t get that aspect right as a foundation for preparing our youths as the leaders of tomorrow, then, we have lost it.”
The governor also said the tertiary health institutions in the state were overstretched because the primary and secondary health facilities were not functional.
To this end, he said in the coming days, the five zonal hospitals would be revisited so that they could become operational to expand healthcare services in the state.
“The only health facilities that are functional in this state are the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, and maybe, the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.
“The other aspects of the healthcare system that should be functioning are primary and secondary healthcare. We have to do everything that is within our power to make sure that they function.’’
“Now, you see, there is so much pressure because the primary healthcare centres have a limit in terms of what they can attend to. So, the pressure is always on the tertiary institutions, what you call the teaching hospitals.
“We have already taken it upon ourselves. By the special grace of God, in the next one or two weeks, we are going to make sure that we revisit the five zonal hospitals in the state to make sure that they function.
“Now, when they function, they will give support to the primary healthcare centres. A lot of people die because of minor illnesses and unavailability of health centres, not well-equipped with qualified personnel. So, we know it is important.
“It might not be something people are seeing, but those are the key things to development and the things that people need, and to prove that, yes, we have a functional government.”
He also promised to revive moribund state-owned industries, adding that his administration would continue to create an enabling environment for businesses.