Gov Udom announces govt’s plan to take-over of 7 community schools

The Akwa Ibom state governor, Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, has announced plans by the state government to take-over of seven community schools by September this year.

The affected schools, which were originally managed and controlled through community efforts, are to be taken over and run by the state government to reinforce its free and compulsory education policy.

The schools include Community Technical College Ikot Udoe – Ikot Ekpene; Urban High School, Ikot Akpan Essien-Oruk Anam; Excellence Comprehensive Secondary School, Ikot Unya-Mkpat Enin; and Migrant Secondary School, Emereoke – Eastern Obolo.

Others are Community Comprehensive Secondary School Ekeya – Okobo; Union Secondary School Ibiaku – Ibiono Ibom; and Community Secondary Commercial School Urua Obot/Ikot Atasung /Ikot Obong Otoro in Ikot Ekpene local government area.

Briefing journalists on Thursday, the state Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Mr. Charles Udoh, said the governor gave the approval during the state executive council meeting held at the Government House, Uyo.

He said: “Although basic education is free and compulsory in public schools, there are several communities that have good private schools that are not benefitting from the policy and government is determined to take this to all nooks and crannies of the State.

“So today, the Council has approved that the seven community schools, from September, becomes government-owned schools to enable students of those schools benefit from the policy,” the commissioner further stated.

Udoh further disclosed that the state government has approved the implementation of a comprehensive insurance scheme for transport operators in the state.

According to him the insurance scheme became necessary to offset the losses sustained by transporters in event of accident.

The scheme would be funded through a 5 percent deduction from daily ticketing revenue received from tricycle, mini – buses and taxi operators, Udoh said.

‘’Governor Emmanuel has approved that transport operators should benefit from an insurance scheme. The idea of the scheme is to ensure that their losses are taken care of in event of accident. Five percent of daily tickets would be remitted to the insurance company which would bear part of the risk in case of accident.”

Udoh said the governor also granted approval for the adoption and implementation of rural development master plan, explaining that government has committed huge resources in the execution of more than 150 development projects in the rural communities of the state.