The Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji MNSE, has promised that the Assembly under his leadership will give the deserved attention to the education sector in the State through strengthening existing laws and, where possible, make new ones, to ensure that the youth in Abia State continue to gain greater access to an inclusive education that will empower them to resist negative influences and become responsible citizens that will help promote growth and development of Abia State and the nation in particular and the world in general.
The Speaker made this known in a statement released to the media by his Chief Press Secretary, Jude Ndukwe, on the occasion of the United Nations’ International Youth Day marked on August 12 of every year. He said, “The theme for this year as chosen by the United Nations, “Transforming Education”, is timely and a true reflection of the sterling educational standard in Abia State where our youth have continued to trail the blaze in international exams and academic competitions, retaining overall best performances in WASSCE and other examinations for a sustainable period of time now. This is in tandem with this year’s theme to mark the Day.
Speaking further, the Abia number one lawmaker said the State Assembly aligns itself fully with the determination of the United Nations as well as that of the Government of Abia State led by Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, to ‘ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’.
He therefore urged all stakeholders in the nation’s education sector especially those responsible for developing school programmes to be abreast of the global demands of the 21st Century education and align themselves with the UN’s educational agenda that will ‘lead to relevant and effective learning outcomes, with the content of school curricula being fit for purpose, not only for the 4th industrial revolution and the future of work, but also for the opportunities – and challenges – that rapidly changing social contexts bring’.
He further commended Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for being ahead of others in this regard especially with the education of Abia youth for such 4th industrial revolution and work through various educational programmes like the Education for Employment (E4E), training of youth in various MSMEs abroad and the giant strides made in the formal education of the State.
“The various ad hoc and standing committees set up by the Abia State House of Assembly on the various institutions of learning and the State’s education sector as a whole, reflect our seriousness as an Institution to tackle the challenges being faced there. We, therefore, commit to supporting the executive through quality legislations and firm oversight in order to overcome whatever challenges might be left in that critical sector in our collective goals of ensuring even greater access to quality education by our teeming youth and continue to make them the best in their various endeavours”, the statement concluded.
