By Lolo Nkiru Onuorah Ph.D
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Executive Chairman of Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB), Assoc. Prof. Hyginus Banko Okibe has called on members of the School-Based Management Committee (SBMC) and leadership of various communities in the state to be more committed to supervising and monitoring developmental projects in Public Schools in their areas.
Assoc. Prof. Okibe made the call when he received in audience Executive Members of the School-Based Management Committee from sixteen (16) Public Primary Schools in Enugu South Local Government Area who paid him a courtesy visit in his office.
PM3 ENSUBEB
The Executive Chairman described members of the Committee as partners in progress in the management of public schools in the state and, therefore, should work in collaboration with various communities to ensure adequate security of school properties and prevent vandalism and theft which have become too rampant in the public schools.
The Executive Chairman disclosed that ENSUBEB has already arrested 8 Head Teachers of Housing Estate Primary Schools Abakpa and charged them to court for vandalizing their school properties. Another vandal was arrested at Robinson Street Primary School Uwani, and he will be charged in court soon.
The ENSUBEB Boss explained that avoidable risks accompany engaging in criminality in the schools. It is worse when those who owe it as a duty to serve the school honestly, especially now that the Smart Schools will be well-equipped to provide quality education for our children, betray the public trust for selfish reasons. He warned Head Teachers, teachers, SBMC members, and community leaders to protect government properties and not allow anyone to steal them and face prosecution by law enforcement agencies. According to the Chairman, ENSUBEB will not hesitate to deal decisively with criminals who feast on public assets.
He specifically urged members of the Committee and Community leaders in the state to take special interest in monitoring the progress of work in all the SMART School projects now ongoing in their areas and report any shoddy job or any malpractices to the Board for necessary action.
Assoc. Prof. Okibe noted that the SMART Green School project embarked upon by the administration of Governor Mbah is a legacy project that has changed the narratives in our education system and calls for all hands to be on deck to deliver the visions of Governor Mbah in the education sector and ensure that our children get quality education.
The Chairman thanked the SBMC Executives for the visit and their kind words and promised to take a very critical look into their requests to set up a technical committee for inputs on how to address those issues.
He reminded them that, like teachers who toil without much appreciation, whose contribution has helped in sustaining development and ensuring that from generation to generation values are upheld, their works call for dedication to service delivery and sacrifice. He promises to give them all the needed assistance and support in the discharge of their duties.
On the issue of identification of their members, Assoc. Prof. Okibe told them that credible and trusted members of SBMC who will represent the image of the Board as good ambassadors will be considered for the issuance of identity cards and must be people of good behavior.
In his speech, the General Chairman of the School-Based Management Committee in Enugu South Local Government Area, Engr. Ekene Onor said that their visit was to appreciate the Chairman and congratulate him on his well-deserved appointment and also explain to him some of the challenges facing them in the discharge of their duties.
The General Chairman, who led sixteen (16) other chairmen of the committee from other Public Primary Schools in that council area, noted with satisfaction what he described as a paradigm shift in transformation in the school activities since the assumption of office of the new Chairman.
The General Chairman who led sixteen (16) other chairmen of the committee from other Primary Schools in that council area noted with satisfaction what he described as a paradigm shift in transformation in the school activities since the assumption of office of the new chairman.
Engr. Onor specifically noted with delight the procurement and distribution of various Agricultural and Sports equipment to primary schools in their area, including financial grants and described it as a very welcome development that would help take education to the highest level. He used the occasion to thank the State Governor, His Excellency Dr. Peter Mbah, for placing education on the front burner with the huge financial allocation to that sector in this year’s budget and the building of SMART Green Schools in parts of the state.
The Chairman of the Chairmen said that SMBC stands as a bridge between communities and government, especially in seeking assistance from NGOs and individuals to complement the government’s efforts to take education to the next level of development and help the Board in its determination to give the best education to our children.
He therefore, drew the attention of the Board Chairman to Section 1-18/19 and Section 5 of the SBMC Committee’s guidelines and appealed to him to find a way to involve them more in the day-to-day management of their schools to ensure effective supervision and funding for payment of stipends to some personnel (hired cleaners and security men) they employed to work in those schools.He therefore, drew the attention of the Board Chairman to Section 1-18/19 and Section 5 of the SBMC Committee’s guidelines and appealed to him to find a way to involve them more in the day-to-day management of their schools to ensure effective supervision and funding for payment of stipends to some personnel (hired cleaners and security men) they employed to work in those schools.
Engr. Onor suggested the establishment of a forum for all SBMC members in the state where they could meet from time to time to share ideas and information about their challenges and areas of need. He also spoke on the need for proper identification of their members to check unnecessary embarrassment they encounter in the discharge of their duties.
Highlight of the visit was the group photograph with the Executive Chairman, Board Member and Management Staff.