Candidate of BOOT Party, Okeke Chika-Jerry has disclosed that he will declare a state of emergency in the education sector if elected governor.
Jerry who spoke while unveiling his manifesto in Onitsha yesterday said it was because of his passion for quality education even for future generations that made him place education as the first in his manifesto.
He said he will replicate the Obafemi Awolowo model in the West in Anambra, noting that a life minimum wage and other juicy packages will be paid to teachers to attract qualified teachers most especially male teachers to the sector thereby injecting more seriousness and discipline into the children.
“Teachers should be given car loans and affordable houses. My government will not collect any school fees from primary 1 to primary 6 pupils up to JSS 3 students. Tuition fees from SSS classes to state higher institutions will be reviewed downwards. All the exams conducted in the state should be free of charge. Common Entrance Exams, FSLCE and JSCE will be free of charge for both public and private schools. My government will subsidise both the SSCE and UME exams fees for the first timers.
“I will set up education supervisory board made up of retired teachers, principals, lecturers, and professionals in educational fields who will supervise and monitor the moral and academic standard of both teachers and students in both public and private schools from nursery to tertiary institutions in the state. There will be war against indiscipline in all the institutions in Anambra State, federal institutions inclusive” he said.
He said that every third term, there will be one central promotional exam for both public and private schools while Examination Development Centre (EDC) will be expanded to conduct these examinations with students only promoted based on performance and teachers employed based on qualification.
He said under his watch, special attention shall be paid to schools in rural communities.