•Engages experts to build learning centres

Taraba State government has engaged experts to build better learning centers equipped with modern teaching tools in primary and secondary schools, Governor Agbu Kefas has said.

While announcing that pupils will henceforth be enjoying free uniforms and textbooks as part of the free education policy declared by him, the governor also said that teachers will also be going on refresher courses to update themselves with modern teaching trends.

A statement Issued over the weekend by the Special Adviser to the Governor (Media and Digital Communications), Emmanuel Bello, said Kefas, stated these during an expanded meeting with teachers and school heads in Jalingo.

The governor reiterated his conviction that education is the best route to development.

Kefas said: “I am committed to making education free and compulsory at the primary and secondary school levels. Pupils will henceforth be enjoying free uniforms and textbooks as part of my free education policy.

“Also, teachers will also get to go for refresher courses. We have also taken measures to cushion the adverse effects of the withdrawal of fuel subsidy.

“We have set in motion plans to build model schools across the state. Better classrooms are a corner stone of the emergency project. Going round these schools is an eye opener. They are in deplorable conditions. Our interventions will have to start from there. We are engaging experts to build better learning centers equipped with modern teaching tools.”

Kefas had also slashed tuition fees at the Taraba State University in Jalingo by 50 per cent, while the university has since rolled out the new tuition fees to start running in September.

Bello said: “Speaking on the impact of the Thursday meeting, many teachers expressed their gratitude, stressing that the interaction has enabled them to catch a vision of the governor.

“They pledged their support to the effort, adding that the education emergency was timely.”

According to him, a teacher who gave his name as John Daniel said the summit was one of its kind.

“I have been teaching for 15 years and I can’t remember when last we had this kind of interaction with the state leadership. This is a great place to start. We now see that the governor means business beyond the promises of politicians during campaign.

“The governor has also visited many schools so he has seen first-hand the conditions of these Schools. We are going to cooperate with him to achieve his dreams”, the teacher said.

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