Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has announced a comprehensive plan to reform the state’s education sector, with a focus on modernising infrastructure, improving teacher quality, and equipping students with vocational skills.
The reforms, spearheaded by the Commissioner for Education, Paddy Iyamu, are intended to transform education into the foundation for the state’s long-term development.
According to a press release from the governor’s office on Tuesday, the administration is tackling long-standing issues within the education system.
READ ALSO: Peter Obi dismisses Okpebholo’s warning, affirms right to visit any state
This includes the rebuilding of dilapidated schools into modern learning centers featuring STEM laboratories and enhanced sanitation facilities.
The “EduRescue Initiative” has also been launched to reintegrate out-of-school children by providing them with free learning materials.
A key component of the new strategy is a significant investment in teachers.
The government is prioritizing the recruitment, training, and digital empowerment of educators, providing them with tablets and standardized lesson scripts to ensure consistent, high-quality instruction across the state.
“No education system can rise above the quality of its teachers,” Iyamu stated. “That is why we are investing in them like never before.”
The reforms also aim to provide students with practical, job-ready skills. A new policy requires every junior secondary school student to graduate with a trade certification.
To support this, technical colleges in Igarra, Irrua, and Benin are being revitalized, and a new National College is under development in Ovia.
In a move to restore integrity to the system, the government is cracking down on examination malpractice by shutting down unregulated “miracle centers” and strengthening partnerships with examination bodies like WAEC and NECO.
The administration is also working to restore public confidence in state schools by ensuring a credible and competitive learning environment.
In the higher education sector, ongoing projects at Ambrose Alli University include the construction of two 1,500-seat lecture theatres and a 600-bed hostel.
Additionally, a long-abandoned 5-kilometer road at Usen Polytechnic is nearing completion. To streamline administrative processes, the new EdoCert 2.0 system has digitized academic records, allowing students to access their certificates securely online.
The government is also promoting inclusivity by introducing a bursary scheme for indigent students and adopting the Federal Government’s NELFund program to prevent financial hardship from being a barrier to education.
READ ALSO: ‘Stop playing politics, Okpebholo meant well’ – Wike to Obi
Beyond academics, the reforms are reviving civic education and sports development through initiatives like the Principals’ Cup and Governor’s Cup, with the goal of fostering discipline and leadership among young people.
“Our long-term ambition is for Edo to be the national model of education reform,” Iyamu declared, stating the administration’s goal is to make children not just literate, but “globally competitive, entrepreneurial, and future-ready.”
