Obinna Odogwu, Abakaliki
Ebonyi State government has earmarked a total of N1 billion which it said would be used for the empowerment of widows, youths, and the less privileged as well as the training of teachers and building a school for gifted children in the state.
This was disclosed by the state Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Uchenna Orji, a lawyer, while briefing newsmen in Government House, Abakaliki alongside his Ministry of Education counterpart, Dr Onyebuchi Chima, shortly after the state executive council meeting.
He said while N500 million had been earmarked for teachers’ training, another N500 million had been set aside for empowerment of widows, youths, and the less privileged in the state.
Chima said that the move was targeted at lifting the state’s education sector from its current state to an enviable height such that it could be rated one of the top bests in the country in the nearest future.
“His Excellency has declared a state of emergency in education in Ebonyi State. So, today we got the ball rolling. Today, N500 million was approved for the training of teachers.
“We are training them on the method of teaching after which we will organise examination for them to ensure they don’t only get the method of teaching but also specialise in the subjects they teach our children.”
Specifically, Dr Chima said that N15 million was also approved for the gifted school, a special school to take off which would train the best students drawn from various parts of the state.
“Secondly, a resolution was also taken and N15 million was approved for one of its kind, the King David Gifted School where we intend to harvest within the state, the best brains we have as young as six and train them,” he said.
The money would also cover for the kits and other sundry items which would support teaching and learning so that the desired results can be achieved.”
The take-off of the school, according to China, would be on the November 10 with about 200 students.
Meanwhile, Orji said that the state government attaches great importance to human capital development as it is critical to the economic development of the state, hence, the resolve of the government to invest in human capital development.