By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
Cross River State Commissioner for Education, Senator Steve Adi Odey has said that as a commissioner, he is desirous to deliver service effectively to the people of the state with out any reservation.
Odey made the remarks in Calabar, while speaking with our correspondent in a telephone chat on issues that will speed up development under the Governor Bassey Edet Otu-led administration
He pledged that he would do everything within his reach to ensure that the education sector, being the life wire of the society and bedrock of development, receives priority attention from the Gov Otu-led administration to transform the lives of residents of the state in a short time.
Odey acknowledged that the education sector is one the measuring parameters of the Otu’s administration, stressing that as the Education Commissioner, he will ensure the best of service is delivered to the people without reservation.
He said, “Well, it is not the issue of where we are now, because I have heard this before I became SUBEB chairman, so even if I am Commissioner for Education it doesn’t make any difference.
“What I am planning and praying for is that there should be adequate funding in my ministry so that we can continue the transformation we started in SUBEB on a larger scale.
“Government is a continuous thing. We started it at SUBEB, now in the ministry, Governor Otu that I believe, his concern and priority is about education and agriculture and I am sure there will be lots of positive impact.
“There will plenty jobs, because we would create employment because we need teachers and the right manpower to lift the sector to a enviable height.
“A situation where you go to a school and you have one principal and two teachers and of course the two teachers are principal and vice principal, nobody to teach, we have to change that anomaly.”
Pointing out what was never in existence as one of the conditions to gain admission into tertiary institutions by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, which is a centre for candidates to write their JAMB Computer Based Test, CBT, he (Odey) singlehandedly established a centre for JAMB CBT in Klinnicapps Academy Okuku, Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State.
Odey maintained that his concern was about the rigorous and risky journey of young people who have to embark on from Yala to Uyo, Enugu, Calabar, Obudu, Ikom, and other far places to sit for JAMB CBT.
He said it was the reason he decided to establish the computer centre in Klinnicapps Academy in Okuku, in order to ease access to JAMB CBT centre, stressing that it has drastically reduced the stress and safe time for candidates from Yala including Bekwarra Local Government Area.
He added, “The truth of the matter is that, if you are not educated, you will be missing. So for me, I feel that everybody within my community, within my local government should be properly educated so that at the end of the day you should have something tangible doing. And if you have something doing you can also contribute to the development of your immediate community.
“And the best that you can offer to the society is providing education and encourage people in building their capacities.
“People travel far to Uyo in Akwa Ibom State, Obudu and Ikom local government areas, Enugu to access JAMB CBT centers, and I felt that I should also support and bring one to my local government area of Yala of Cross River State, so that the good people of Yala can also enjoy this facility. That is just the essence.
“Klinnicapps Academy, Okuku – Yala, where I established the JAMB CBT centre has modern and brand new 259 laptops of JAMB standard for candidates to use for their CBT.
“This has drastically reduced the rigourous and risky journeys candidates embark on for JAMB CBT, and they are happy with that because of the proximity they enjoy and parents also have rest of mind now since their children and wards don’t go that far to sit for the exam anymore. “
