PORT HARCOURT/Nigeria: Chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has hailed former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, for what he described as a revolutionary transformation of the education sector during his administration between 2007 and 2015, saying the former governor laid an enduring foundation for quality education and human capital development in Rivers State.
Eze, in a detailed tribute titled, “61 Garlands to a Visionary Leader, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as He Marks His 61st Birthday Anniversary: His Feats in Education as Rivers Governor in Focus,” said Amaechi’s administration rescued the state’s once-decaying public education system through massive investments in infrastructure, teacher recruitment, scholarships and policy reforms that positioned Rivers as a national reference point in educational development.
According to him, the Amaechi administration employed over 13,000 teachers, awarded more than 3,000 local and foreign scholarships, built world-class primary and secondary schools with boarding facilities, introduced free education from primary to secondary school level and upgraded several educational institutions across the state.
He noted that the administration also provided free school uniforms, books, shoes and writing materials for pupils, while Port Harcourt emerged as the UNESCO-designated World Book Capital in 2014 due to the government’s aggressive promotion of reading culture and educational advancement.
Eze further stated that upon assumption of office in 2007, Amaechi declared a state of emergency in the education sector and took over the payment of salaries of primary and junior secondary school teachers, a responsibility previously handled by local governments, in order to restore stability and quality in the system.
He said the intervention cost the state government about N2 billion monthly, while the administration went ahead to establish model schools equipped with ICT centres, libraries, laboratories, sports facilities and healthcare centres in line with international standards.
The ADC chieftain explained that the administration targeted the construction of 700 model primary schools across the state, with over 350 reportedly completed, alongside modern secondary schools designed to provide a conducive learning environment for pupils and students.
Eze also highlighted the establishment of the World Capital City Model Primary School in Port Harcourt to commemorate the city’s recognition as World Book Capital, noting that the school was equipped with state-of-the-art facilities including science laboratories, ICT centres and libraries.
According to him, Amaechi’s government promoted science education, reading culture and practical learning through demonstration laboratories, book review sessions and curriculum reforms aimed at exposing children to innovation and creativity from an early age.
He recalled that the administration retrained and recertified teachers in collaboration with the British Council, eliminated strikes in public schools, established the Quality Assurance Agency and transformed Rivers State University into one of the leading state-owned universities in Nigeria.
Eze further praised Amaechi for prioritizing overseas scholarship programmes through the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), which enabled hundreds of Rivers indigenes to study in countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, India, Ireland and Singapore.
Quoting one of the beneficiaries, Dr. Samuel Jonah Abbey, Eze said the scholarship initiative changed lives and gave many indigent students opportunities they would never have imagined possible.
He also cited commendations from UNICEF, UNESCO, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the United States Consul-General in Lagos, all of whom reportedly praised Amaechi’s investments in education and human capital development.
Eze, however, alleged that many of the achievements recorded during Amaechi’s administration were destroyed under the administration of former Governor Nyesom Wike, claiming that Rivers State suffered major setbacks in educational development after 2015.
