Education

Abia Extends School Resumption Date for New Academic Session

Written by Jerry Alomatu on September 10, 2024

News Views: 642

The Abia State Government has shifted the resumption date for public and private schools in the state for the 2024/2025 academic session. Initially scheduled for Monday, September 16, schools will now reopen on Wednesday, September 23, due to the coinciding Muslim holiday.

This announcement was made by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, during a press briefing on the outcome of the weekly Executive Council meeting in Umuahia. He also disclosed that the second phase of teacher training will run from September 11 to 20 across three centres: Aba, Umuahia, and Ohafia, with 1,800 teachers expected to participate.

“The training is part of the ongoing transformation agenda of the current administration in the education sector,” Kanu noted. He added that over 200 teachers were trained in the first batch, and the exercise is part of the protocols for school resumption.

In a show of compassion, the state government has granted a 90-day moratorium to property owners in Aba who have yet to register their landed properties. The moratorium allows them to register at the old rate, as opposed to the new, higher rate.

“If they have to pay for it at the new rate, they would complain, but the governor has directed that they pay at the old rate as a way of encouraging them to obtain their certificates,” Kanu explained, highlighting Governor Alex Otti’s compassionate approach to governance.

The Director General of the Greater Aba Development Authority, Uche Ukaeje, emphasized that property owners who built without approvals would normally face penalties. “What the Governor did was to pardon the affected property owners and allow them to only pay the old fees but within 90 days. It was a Christmas gift to them,” Ukaeje said.

In other developments, Kanu announced that Abia has been selected as one of six Nigerian states to participate in an international medical symposium in Ghana, a recognition of the state’s ongoing reforms in the health sector. The event, a partnership between the World Bank and the Nigerian government, is called HOPE, which stands for Human Capital Opportunity for Prosperity and Equity.

Kanu also provided updates on the “Light Up Abia Initiative,” revealing that 4,346 solar lights have been installed in 86 locations across the state, with more installations planned. “This is in fulfilment of the need to make the towns and cities in the state more comfortable for residents and to improve security in our state,” he added.

Regarding the Abia Electricity Bill, which has passed its second reading in the State House of Assembly, Kanu expressed optimism that lawmakers would expedite its passage after their recess. The bill is expected to further the state’s ongoing reforms in the power sector.

Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Ikechukwu Monday, described the Abia Electricity Bill as a game-changer, saying, “When it comes into effect, this law will give us the mandate to establish the Abia State Electricity Regulatory Authority. It will also give us the mandate to establish the Abia State Rural Electrification Agency.”

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to changing the narrative in Abia State, stating that Governor Otti’s leadership is focused on positioning the state for development.