The Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara has directed the immediate promotion of teachers under the employment of the government in all the senior secondary schools in the state.
Governor Fubara gave the directive while inaugurating the Chairmen and four members each, for the Senior Secondary Schools and Universal Basic Education Boards at the government house in Port Harcourt on Friday.
He said the promotion exercise in the senior cadre in public schools was suspended because the section was previously headed by an Acting Director whom he felt should not be given the responsibility to handle such a delicate task.
The task will now be handled by the substantive board headed by an educationist, Dr. Sam Umejuru.
The Governor spoke highly of his passion to improve the standard of education in the state, explaining that education, healthcare and agriculture will form his top priorities in the 2025 budget.
In the Universal Basic Education, Governor Fubara charged the Chairman, David Briggs, a politician and administrator to improve on the standard already set by the immediate past Chairman and members of the board.
He challenged Briggs, who is the immediate past Chairman of the Senior Secondary Schools’ Board to execute his role diligently to lay a strong educational foundation for children in the state.
The governor explained that a child’s excellence in academics is predicated on exposure at the UBE levels.
He expressed the conviction that the chairmen and members of both boards will perform efficiently, owing to their level of experience in public and civil service.
Governor Fubara explained that most of the appointees, especially those in the Senior Secondary Schools’ Board are seasoned educationists and administrators, who were in the ranks of principals and vice principals when he began his career as a civil servant.
He said the appointees have had the opportunity to supervise him.
Governor Fubara began his career in the Rivers State Civil Service as a teacher.
Speaking on behalf of his members, the Chairman of the Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board, Dr. Sam Emejuru, thanked the governor for finding them worthy to serve in such capacity out of over seven million people in Rivers State.
He said: “What I want to assure you is that we are not going to disappoint you. We are going to carry out our duties efficiently, diligently and with fairness to everyone.
“We take cognizance of the fact that we know you are very passionate about education. So, we are not going to joke with this responsibility assigned to us.
“We are assuring you that we shall not be found wanting. We are going to deliver as you have trusted us to give us this assignment.”
In his speech, on behalf of his members, the Chairman of Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board, Mr. David Briggs, expressed gratitude to God and the Governor for reposing a high level of confidence in them with such an assignment.
He said: “Our commitment will be unalloyed. We are assuring you that we will not disappoint you, knowing how meticulous, detailed, passionate, and of course, result-oriented you are.
“We will not disappoint you. We will not disappoint your government, and in totality, we will not disappoint the people of Rivers State. We will be at your side, as your foot soldiers to realise the educational heights you have as a vision for Rivers State.”
Those inaugurated for the Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board included: Dr. Sam Emejuru as chairman, and Francis Jacob, Dr. Grace Jaja, Jemina Margaret Briggs, and Love Aguma as members.
For the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. David Theophilus Briggs is the chairman with Nwuke Anucha, Dr Alom Anyanya Austin-Mba, Dr. Walson Ominini as members, and Ibiere Pepple as Secretary.