By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
The chairman of the Cross River State Universal Basic Education Board, CRSSUBEB, Senator Stephen Odey,on Thursday frowned at the low turnout of school pupils for 2nd term of the 2021/2022 academic session in some public primary schools in the state.
Odey expressed dismay while addressing teachers at the Army Day School, Imaje, in Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State, during his on-going needs assessment tour of schools across the three senatorial districts of the state.
The former parliamentarian said, “Turnout of pupils in most schools visited is disappointing. This is why am calling on all parents and guardians to release their children/ward to resume back to school after the Christmas and New Year festivities.”
The Cross River State SUBEB boss averred that the poor attitude of teachers towards teaching and imparting knowledge on the pupils may be a contributing factor to the low turnout of pupils, calling on all teachers in the state to live up to their expectations.
He warned that those teachers who failed to heed to this charge will be shown the way out of their jobs, to pave ways for others yearning to work as teachers to be brought in to the system to aid the state government’s transformation agenda in the basic education sector.
The SUBEB Chair commended teachers of Holy Child Convent School, Okuku, aslo in Yala Local Government Area and St Theresa’s Primary School, Ogboja, Ogoja, stressing that the turnout of pupils was impressive and teaching and learning were seen to be taking place.
Some of the teachers in schools visited attributed the low turnout of pupils to first week of resumption and stated that more pupils will turn up in the days to come.
The Chairman assured the people of Governor Ben Ayade’s willingness to transform the basic education sector through infrastructural and manpower development.
The SUBEB boss expressed dismay over the poor state of the school and its environment due to dilapidated buildings resulting from low quality of work done by contractors, even as he expressed his disappointment in the unkempt nature of the school.
He said, “This is one of the three junior secondary schools built by UBEC and given to us to run. I am not pleased with what I have seen here today and something must be done quickly to address this.
“I am also disappointed in how untidy the school environment is today. It is our collective responsibility to build the basic education sector and not allow the system degenerate.”
He solicited for support from teachers, stressing that the state government’ cannot succeed in it’s quest to get the school structures that were dilapidated rehabilitated without teachers support.
The SUBEB boss maintained that through the UBE counterpart funding, government was eager to get the needful done.
He therefore charged staff to compliment government’s effort by maintaining and putting school facilities to good use.
The SUBEB boss expressed gratitude to management of the board for it’s commitment to the school and the education sector.
In his remarks, Principal, UBEC Junior Secondary School, Mr Micheal Otona assured the SUBEB boss of willingness by staff of his school to redouble their efforts towards improving the overall quality of the school.
