‘Real Reason Okowa Scrapped Uduaghan’s Edumarshal Programme’

The Delta State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Chiedu Ebie, a lawyer has explained why the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration stopped the Edumarshal programme of his predessesor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan who just defected from the PDP to the APC.

BigPen Online recalls that the Edumarshal programme, which was designed by Uduaghan to curb truancy in schools, was scrapped by Okowa on assumption of office, a development which had fueled talks that the governor was out to discredit his predecessor.

But speaking in an interview with the Sunday Vanguard, Mr Ebie said that it is wrong to say that the Edumarshal programme was abruptly scrapped by the Okowa administration, saying before the programme was stopped, officials conducted an extensive review on it to determine its activities, structure and sustainability or otherwise.

He said, “The review began in October 2015 and was not completed until the first quarter of 2017. The reason for the delay was the difficulty and near absence of proper documentation in respect of the programme.

According to him, the programme was stop because of structural deficit, organisational gaps as well as absence of a legal instrument setting it up.

“On the surface, the programme seemed viable and commendable but upon further scrutiny, we discovered that the programme suffered from weak recruitment procedures, unstructured remuneration/salary scale, improper promotion/advancement plan, structural imbalances and organisational gaps and absence of a legal instrument setting it up.

“At the end of the review, it was decided not to retain it as a stand-alone programme but to unbundle it into the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education. As a sign of good faith, a ‘one-off’ payment equivalent to three  months cumulative stipend of the 147 persons whose names appeared on the list of Marshalls was made by the state government.

“It is also important to mention that during the review period, members of the programme were kept abreast and series of meetings were held with them”.

The commissioner also spoke on the free enrolment programme for both WAEC and NECO, which was also stopped by the Okowa’s administration.

“Primary and secondary education in public schools in Delta  is free. In addition, the state government used to pay fees for external examinations for SS3 students.

“However, we discovered that there was a very high rate of absenteeism in these examinations. The Okowa administration paid the fees up to 2016 until the high rate of absenteeism was discovered.

“Investigation was conducted into this and it was discovered that a high percentage of students was encouraged to register and sit for their examinations in ‘miracle centres’. Some paid far higher fees at these centres than the official rates, and even went to centres outside the state.

“This meant that the state government was wasting a lot of money on payment of examination fees for students primarily because the money was not coming from the pockets of the students or their parents or guardians.

“It must be noted that the examination fees of SS III students in technical colleges are still free.

While responding to the allegation that the administration abandoned projects initiated by previous administrations, Mr Ebie said government is a continuum and Delta State is no exception.

“In the education sub-sector, the administration of Governor Okowa has not discriminated between projects initiated by this administration and projects inherited from the previous administrations.

“We have focused and channelled a lot of resources in completing legacy projects inherited from the previous administration such as the model secondary school projects. It is on record that the last administration of Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan commenced the construction/upgrade of 13 model schools across the State.

“When the Okowa administration came on board, two of such projects (Nana College, Warri, and St. Patricks College, Asaba – which was handed over to the Catholic Mission) had been completed. So far, an additional five model schools, namely Owa Model College, Boji-Boji Owa, Burutu Grammar School, Burutu, Ogbemudein Secondary School, Agbor, Alema College Abigborodo and Otu Jeremi College, Otu Jeremi have since been completed.

“It is, therefore, mischievous for anybody to allege that the Okowa administration abandoned projects initiated by the previous administration.

“It was even Governor Uduaghan who commissioned the Ogbemudein school project and, very recently, witnessed the commissioning of Alema College in his ancestral home of Abigborodo where he commended Governor Okowa for completing some of the projects initiated by his administration.

“Let me also say put it on record that work has reached an advanced stage at Government Secondary School, Ughelli and Emore College, Oleh and should be completed between the 3rd and 4th Quarters of 2018.

“In addition, work is ongoing at Ogini Secondary School, Oghara and Model Secondary School, Ashaka, while we are in the final stages of re-commencing construction work at Army Day Childrens School, Effurun and Ziks Grammar School, Sapele under an alternative funding arrangement.

“Since assumption of office the Okowa administration has consistently provided funds for projects awarded between 2010 and 2015 in annual budgets and have systematically made releases subject to the availability of funds”.