By:Douglas Ogbankwa Esq @douglasogbankwa@gmail.com
I have always known that there is a difference between facade and reality. It takes the deep to ascertain the original from the fake .Under the Government of Godwin Obaseki, former Governor of Edo State, there was a bogus educational programme called Edo-Best. Packaged with fanfare and razzmatazz , it was an example of how propaganda can be used to bambozle the people. I went on a guided tour of two Local Government Areas in Edo State during that period, and what I saw was an eye sour .Classes with no chairs , leaking roofs, and crumbling walls , in an era millions of dollars were given to State by the World Bank under the Edo-Best Programme.The experience inspired an article I wrote on subject, aptly dubbed : ” Edo-Best or Edo Worst”.
The decadence of educational infrastructure under Obaseki was despite the fact that package scenes in virtually simulated classes have been used to collect millions of dollars from the World Bank .The Edo Best Programme was a charade, and an investigation into it will open a can of worms
As sson Governor Monday Okpebholo took over office on the 11th of November, 2024,the governor hit the ground running .His appointments in the Educational Sector are a testament that education is an important component of Governmental Trajectory under his watch.
Dr. Paddy Iyamu – the Commissioner of Education and an innovative visionary – has left no doubt of his desire to change the face of the educational sector with his pragmatic approach to issues. The massive renovations of schools being done now were last seen during the red roof revolution of the Administration of Senator Adams Oshiomhole as Governor.
The appointment of Hon Vincent Akhere Esq , a thorough bred Educationist and Lawyer , who has been pathfinder in the a school monitoring programme in Senator MondayOkpebholo Government, reinforces the Governor ‘s seriousness in changing the narrative of Edo State ‘s Educational Millieu. The Permanent Secretary-Mrs. Ebomoyi, a thorough bred technocrat in education, completes the trivurate that will transform education in Edo State .
The Commissioner of Education-Dr. Paddy Iyamy has launched the Edu-Rescue Programme. A programme that will ensure that out of school children are rescued from hawking during school hours .This is a pragmatic programme to ensure that pupils and students are made to attend school promptly, and it is also a programme to stem truancy .
The massive renovations of schools, which include fencing of schools with gates , are to ensure that pupils and students learn in a conducive and safe environment. This will stop the paradoxical situation under Obaseki, where a situation room was created in Government House to show to Development Partners a few classrooms ,while many schools were like poultry farms used to rare fowls.
This government is also doing a review of the deficient curricula of the Edo-Best era , which dwelt on literacy and numeracy, leaving out other cardinal aspects of the child development like Social Studies , Elementary Science and Fine Arts,etc .In a competitive world of changing trends, it is important that our children are given to the requisite comprehensive educational foundation to compete with their peers, the world over .
On the 27th of May , 2025 , His Excellency , Governor Monday Okpebholo re-enacted the colourful children ‘s day celebrations of yore. Edo State children were happy to.witness for a long time the fanfare of celebrating children with march past , giving them a sense of belonging and allowing them to network ,as it was the case in our days .This is very important as it gives the pupils and students a sense of belonging and gives them a day that they can call their own , that they will genuinely look forward to every year.
Governor Monday Okpebholo, through his Education Team, led by Dr Paddy Iyamu , has started well .Alot however also need to be done .They should reintroduce the culture of schools having sports houses, like White House and Pink House, that pupils and students will use to compete in the inter house sports competitions. They should also reintroduce quiz and debating competitions in schools.Re-introduction of clubs like Literary, Debating Dramatic Club , Chess Club ,Press Club ,etc , will help the students build leadership abilities, to learn to manage their affairs .
They should reintroduce the Principal ‘s Cup for football.This was football competition among all schools in Edo State, that helped with discovering new talents .The School Sports Federation should also be re-introduced. This will make our students form the foundation of contigent at the National Sports Festival.
They should allow teachers to write their lesson notes themselves .This will make the teaching to be more effective. Teachers are now rusty because of the central sending of lesson notes .The former module muddled up things and made teaching chaotic. If the people at Headquarters do not send lesson notes online , teachers can not teach .Those who had no broad band connection or no electricity, were worst hit Learning never took place.
Teachers should be allowed to rise to be Permanent Secretaries like their peers in the public service .This will encourage them to work hard to get to the top.
Edo State Educational System is having a revamp. More innovations and synergy among the operators are needed to take things to the next level.