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By Madu Obi
Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo has announced free education for senior secondary students in all public schools in the state.
He also said that his administration will start implementing the new minimum wage in October this year.
Soludo made the pronouncement at Professor Dora Akunyili Women Development, Awka, while interacting with principals and head teachers of public schools in the state.
The state government is already offering free education for pupils in public schools from kindergarten to JSS 3.
According to the governor, senior secondary students who have already paid their school fees for this term should be refunded their monies.
Soludo said: "We now have a truly free education in Anambra State. In all public schools, we should be able to guarantee that every child has access to free and qualitative education.
For those who have collected, refund the school fees back to the parents. We have also posted over 2000 teachers to mission schools as a way of subsidizing education.
There are no smart teachers without smart schools. We are gradually upscaling technology in our schools, with the current laying of over 2000 fibre optic cables.
Because we have declared truly free education from nursery, primary and JSS three pupils and students, enrolment in public schools increased by 18 percent and out-of-school children dropped by 2 percent, making Anambra the number one state with the lowest percentage of out-of-school children.
Human capital is our greatest asset. We are working to create a human capital that is productive at home and exportable abroad, leaving no one behind as true progressives.
With this latest initiative, we will be putting thousands of money back to the pockets of ndị Anambra," the Governor stressed.
The governor, however, lamented that there are about 77 communities in the state without public schools, pointing out that his administration is striving to address the concern and provide options for children in those communities.
Soludo also announced that Anambra State government will begin payment of the N70,000 minimum wage from October, 2024, saying that in spite of the dwindling resources, his administration will continue to work round the clock, to deliver on its mandate.
The governor said he inherited arrears of pensions and gratuities, adding, however, that he will soon complete the payments.
He said that all those who retire under his watch usually get their entitlements after successful documentation.
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