Akwa Ibom gets army science sec school
The Nigerian Army has approved the establishment of a science secondary school in Akwa Ibom with academic activities expected to commence in August this year.
This school is to be located in Efa, Etinan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State and will operate from the existing secondary school in the area.
Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Burutai who announced this when he visited governor Udom Emmanuel in Uyo, the state capital expressed delight that the infrastructure found in the school would facilitate the take-off of the Institution.
Represented by Idris Alkai, head of administration, he said the team is mandated to inspect command schools across the country adding that it has visited the facility which would accommodate the army science school in the state .
He noted that the army has seen a dependable partner in it educational development drive and commended the state government for providing 3.5 Hectares of land alongside structures for the establishment of the Institution.
While calling on the state government to bring up existing facilities in the school to expected standard to befit the status of the science school, the Chief of Army Staff commended the state government as well as Efa Community in Etinan for the hospitality accorded the team during the inspection visit.
In his remarks, appreciation to the Nigerian Army for the choice of the state in the establishment of the Institution saying that the Army Science School which will occupy the premises of Salvation Army Secondary School in Etinan would be updated with modern facilities to facilitate its immediate take-off.
“Let me register our appreciation to the Nigerian Army especially the Chief Of Army Staff for granting approval for the establishment of the school. It’s a rare privilege not a right. He could have cited the school anywhere, so we must work hand in hand to make it work, he said.
” The school you ‘re seeing there was completely dilapidated but we’ re in the process of bringing back the school to life. I’ve dualised the road across the school to give easy access to the school. We’ll look at your check list and work towards providing your requirement, Udom assured.
He called army authorities to complement the establishment of the Science School with an Army Engineering Centre to offer training in vocational skills stressing that the availability of Gas, Information and Communication Technology compliant optical network would aid the centre in ist training programmes.
The commissioner for education Udofia told reporters that facilities found in the school have met the requirement of Nigerian Army.
He highlighted preparations made by the state government to ensure the commencement of academic programme in the school saying that the Institution is undergoing rehabilitation to meet the September deadline.
The education commissioner who was flanked by the permanent secretary Ministry of Education Valerie Obot, also addressed the issue of inadequate teaching personnel in public schools across the state saying machinery has been set in motion to reverse the trend by granting approval for re-validation of the 5,000 teachers adding that another round of recruitment would be carried out as soon as there is improvement in the economy of the country.
Udofia also said public schools were undergoing rehabilitation while some furniture items were being distributed to schools through the Universal Basic Education programme. On the preparedness for implementation of the Schools Home Feed Programme, Udofia said the state had been chosen for the pilot scheme and assured that implementation of the scheme would soon commence for students in public schools.