By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has announced the new policy of free education for senior secondary students in all public schools in the state.

Soludo disclosed this during a meeting with principals and Head Teachers at Professor Dora Akunyili Women?s Development, Awka on Thursday.

The gesture Is in addition to the ongoing policy of free education for pupils from kindergarten to JSS 3.

The Governor directed that senior secondary students who have paid their school fees for the term should be refunded their monies.

He said: ?Yes! We now have a truly free education in Anambra.

?In all public schools, we should be able to guarantee that every child has access to free and qualitative education, especially to the poorest of the poor.

?For those who have collected, refund the school fees money back to the parents.

?We have posted over 2,000 teachers to mission schools as a way of subsidizing education.

?There are no smart teachers without smart schools. We are gradually upscaling technology in our schools, with the current laying of over 2,000 fibre optic cables.

?Because we declared truly free education from Nursery, primary and JSS three pupils and students, enrolment in public schools increased by 18 percent and out-of-school children dropped by 2 percent, making Anambra the number one state with the lowest percentage of out-of-school children.

?Human capital is our greatest asset. We are working to create a human capital that is productive at home and exportable abroad, leaving no one behind as true progressives.

?With this latest initiative, we will be putting thousands of money back to the pockets of nd? Anambra.?

While noting that there are about 77 communities in Anambra without public schools, Soludo pointed out that his administration is working to address the concern and provide options for Ndi Anambra.

He gave assurance that he will continue to provide the resources for continuous learning by teachers.

According to the Governor, ?Our future is a collective effort. We must seize the opportunity now. It is the greatest investment we can make.?

He further used the opportunity to announce that Anambra State government will begin payment of the N70,000 minimum wage from October 2024, saying that in spite of the binding resource constraint, his administration will continue to work round the clock, to deliver on their mandate.

?We inherited arrears of pensions and gratuities. We will soon complete the payments.

?Anyone that retires under my watch usually get their entitlements after successful documentation.

?Though I have approval to borrow 100 billion naira since I came in, we haven?t borrowed. This is because we don?t want to encumber the future. I will borrow to build capacity for the future.

?Under my watch, we are going to maintain fiscal sustainability?, Soludo added.

The Governor also enumerated the strides of his administration in all sectors of the state economy, including recruitment of 8,115 teachers, recruitment of over 1,000 doctors and health personnel, empowerment of 5,000 youths with additional 8,000 youths, for the ?one youth, two skills? entrepreneurship scheme.

Others include rebranding of three general hospitals, building of five brand new general hospitals, renovation of primary healthcare centers, free antenatal care and delivery services for pregnant mothers, leading to near zero mortality, ongoing construction of the Solution Innovation District, palm and coconut seedlings? revolution, updating of the STEM education, payment for funding of UBEC, among others.

Update news