Abia State Commissioner for Education, Prof Ikechi Mgbeoji, has promised to adopt a holistic reform as part of his strategies to reposition the ministry and institute transparency and accountability in the content and delivery of educational services in the state.

Prof Mgbeoji dropped this hint during an interaction with members of management of the ministry, including the Permanent Sectary and other Heads of Departments. He explained that the reforms would cut across the primary, secondary and tertiary education levels in order to restore sanity and public confidence in the system.

The commissioner vowed to tackle all forms of sharp practices in schools. These he listed to include illegal levies on pupils and students, activities of teachers who bribe their way to juicy postings, extortion from students in tertiary institutions in the guise of sales of handouts as well as sexual harassment, among other abuses, which he said were presently the order of the day in public schools.

Prof Mgbeoji also made known the intention of government to review existing policies such as handover of schools to their former owners to determine the best way forward, introduce a workable plan for partnership with private individuals to address the infrastructural decays in schools.

In her speech, the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Patricia Agbata, described the plans of the commissioner and the insights he gave on how to arrive at positive results as a true confirmation of his wealth of experience in the education sector. She assured him of the support of the staff and management of the ministry to enable him to succeed.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of Secondary Education Management Board, Chief Ndubuisi Umezuruike, and the Secretary of Abia State Universal Education Board, Mr Kelechi Nwosu, assured the commissioner that they were determined to assist him in executing his plans.

•Photo shows Abia Commissioner for Education, Prof Ikechi Mgbeoji.

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