The Abia State government has directed schools and publishers to stop the practice of mandating four textbooks for one subject. It also ordered that workbooks be produced separately from main textbooks to reduce the cost of learning materials for parents.
Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Goodluck Ubochi, issued the directive during a stakeholders’ meeting in Umuahia. He reminded participants that Governor Alex Otti has declared free and compulsory education for all pupils in primary and basic secondary schools.
Ubochi further stressed that pupils must sit for standardized assessments. PLAST for Primary 6, BECE for JSS 3, and an SS2 exam before WAEC registration.
He also condemned child hawking and truancy during school hours, warning that Education Marshals have been empowered to apprehend defaulters and trace their parents or guardians. On the issue of manpower, the commissioner assured that gaps in staffing would be addressed in the next round of teacher recruitment.
Emmanuel Onwuka