By DAYO ADESULU

The Rivers State Government has flagged-off its 2013 Free Education Project. The flagging-off ceremony took place at the Dr.Christie Toby Model Primary School, Elekahia, Liberation Stadium in Port Harcourt.

The FEP is an annual event where the state government distributes free books, uniforms, bags, sandals and sportswear to students and pupils in the State.

The initiative started when  Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi officially launched the free and compulsory education for every child in the state.

Meanwhile, the Team Leader Planning of UNESCO Headquarters Dr.Nyi Thaung said he is impressed with the achievements of the Rivers State Government. He said that the dreams of UNESCO are to provide access to education to children around the world.

“First of all, I must say that I am impressed and also very proud of the commitment and the achievements being made by Rivers State Government. This is our dream which is to have the textbooks, good uniforms and all the learning materials”

During the flagging-off exercise at Model Primary School in Port Harcourt, the Commissioner for Education, Rivers State, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi said that the passion of the Governor in education prompted him to transform the sector immediately he took over the mantle of leadership in the state.

“He has built good infrastructure,  recruited 13,201 new teachers to ensure there are teachers in the classrooms. Also, every beginning of the academic session,  the Governor always flag-off the free book, free uniform, sandals and bags to all schools in the State. He has not only given you free books, free uniforms, he has also given you conducive learning environment”

Lawrence-Nemi who noted that the Governor Amaechi  declared a State of Emergency in the education sector when he assumed office in 2007, added that its administration has transformed the education sector which was in a state of comatose.

She disclosed that Rivers State will be celebrating four years of free education in the state and that the ministry will celebrate it with an art exhibition as stakeholders in the education sector will be invited.

The Commissioner explained that the State Government has established institutions so as to ensure sustainability of the free education programme in the state when it leaves office.

According to her,  the Education Quality Assurance Agency and School Based Management Committees SBMC were established to ensure sustainability of these schools when this administration leaves the office.

She pointed out that SBMC will involve local participation in the management of the schools saying, “f you look at the Quality Assurance Agency, the Ministry has not to be everywhere. Because we have also set up the School Based Management Committee to ensure that communities are part and parcel of what we have on ground. The community will be part of a team that will ensure that these schools are maintained and clean.”

On his part, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education, Dr.Richard Ofuru commended the Governor of the State Rt.Hon.Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi CON, for his investment in the education sector. Ofuru who lauded the educational drive of governor Amaechi and the Commissioner for Education, stated that the investments have exposed the pupils, students and teachers in the State to what they were ignorance of.