Abia Education Reform Bill Passess First Reading In State Assembly

A Bill to reform the Primary and Secondary School System in Abia State has passed the First Reading in the Abia State House of Assembly.

The Bill, which seeks to rejig the education architecture, was sponsored by Hon Anthony Chinasa, a member representing Umuahia Central State Constituency.

It highlighted the reform of Basic Education, Early Child Care Development and Education, Government Responsibilities for Early Child Care Development and Education, ECCDE, Responsibilities for Primary Education and Career Development, Regulation and Certification of Post- Basic Education, Affordable Senior Secondary Education, Transition to Tertiary Education, Funding for Science, Technology and Entrepreneurship Education.

Giving further clarification in his interaction with newsmen, the lawmaker who is also the House Committee Chairman on local government and Chieftaincy affairs explained that the Bill gave insights into the obligation of the State Government, Implementation, Responsibility and Oversight, Inspection and Quality Assurance, School – Based Management Committees, SBMCS, checkmating of Private Educational Institution, Abia State Education (Special) Reform Tribunal among others.

He hinted that the driving force behind the crafting of the Education Reform Bill was to provide the child with diverse basic knowledge and skills for entrepreneurship, wealth creation and educational advancement, to inculcate values and raise morally upright individuals capable of independent thinking, and who appreciate the dignity of labour.

Hon Chinasa explained that the Bill when passed into law will help to inspire national consciousness and harmonious coexistence irrespective of differences in endowment, religion, colour, gender, ethnic and socio-economic background and provide opportunities for the child to develop manipulative skills that will enable the child function effectively in the society within the limits of the child’s capabilities.

The lawmaker further stated that the formative stages in the life of a child lays the foundation for superlative growth, hence the need to rejig the education architecture of Abia State for optimum productivity.

With the main purpose of the Bill being for the education of the Abia child through an enhanced education quality, the lawmaker enumerated other importance of the Bill to include, improve the quality of teaching through teacher reorientation and training, fostering a culture of book development and innovation in education, inculcating permanent literacy and numeracy and the ability to communicate effectively.

He informed that the Bill also intends to lay a sound basis for scientific and relative thinking, build character and moral training and development of sound attitudes among others.