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Rivers Offers Scholarships to Gifted Students

Daily Champion
Tony Ita Etim
30 July 2007

Rivers State government has announced automatic scholarship for any secondary School Student of the state who takes first position in school examination for two consecutive years. Governor Celestine Omehia made the pronouncement during the commissioning of the First Phase of the Universal Basic Education [UBE] Model Primary School at Oromenike, Port Harcourt .

Omehia also announced post graduate scholarship award to any student of the state-origin who makes first class at undergraduate level, and who would be interested in oil and gas related courses. He recalled how two primary school students from Rivers State came tops in an international competition saying that their performance is an indication that the standard of education in the state is improving.

The governor gave an assurance that the quality of education in the state would continue to improve, and approved the construction of similar model schools in more local communities in the state, while the Orominike Girls Secondary School in D/Line, Port Harcourt would also be given a face lift.

On the employment of more teachers, Omehia directed the UBE chairman to liaise with the education commissioner to forward such request to the office of the governor for approval and directed the Ministry of Education to upgrade the inspectorate division to a standard that would meet the yearnings of the state government.

He assured that government would consider recommendations made by the inspectorate division, and implement them accordingly, including dismissal of teachers, principals and head teachers that fail to perform up to expectation.

In his remark, the executive secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Lami Amodu, lauded the achievements of the Rivers State government in the development of infrastructural facilities in her schools, and described the commissioning as a landmark project for the growth of basic education in Nigeria. Amodu declared that available statistics show Rivers State as a leading state in the provision of its counterpart funds, having paid up to the third quarter of 2006.

Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ngozi Odu said the members of the education team work cooperatively as members of one family in the renovation and rehabilitation of schools in the state and commended the zeal of Sir Omehia in making the Education Sector regain its pride of place in the scheme of things.

Earlier, the executive chairman of the state Universal Basic Education Board (UBE), Rev. Fr. Pius Kii, said the commissioning of the Oromenike Model Primary School is one out of the 10 model schools located in nine local government areas of the state.

He said three of such schools were ready for commissioning, having been fully equipped, while five others were about 90 percent completed, pointing out that the state government has also approved an Early Child Care Development Education Centre (ECCDE) in some of the schools. Rev Fr. Kii, however, solicited the employment of more teachers to strengthen the existing staff strength in the primary and junior secondary schools

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