FIC Report (Abia State) – Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has thrown a challenge at the State Commissioner for Education, Dr. KCK Nwangwa to assemble the best hands in the Education sector of the State and develop a proactive and technology driven way to engage our children during this COVID-19 isolation period.
Addressing a meeting at his Country Home, Umuobiakwa, the Governor stated that as a parent and a teacher, he is disturbed over the fate of our children at a time like this and challenged the Commissioner and other experts in the field of education to, as a matter of urgency, develop a process which will be technology driven and ICT enabled to help reach our school children and keep them busy meaningfully pending when schools will resume.
Governor Ikpeazu made it clear that it was very possible to make use of the platforms provided by our Radio and Television stations in the State to drive this paradigm shift and then asked the Commissioner to liaise with the Director General of the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State to further develop this.
He asked the INNOVATION GROWTH Hub, an ICT outfit to develop the necessary ICT backbone needed to give the program the required ICT support base.
According to the Governor, Teachers can teach their students via these channels and even give assignments.
He restated that his administration will provide all the needed support to enable this program succeed, including but not limited to provision of funds for the payment of honorarium to the teachers who will be involved in this.
The Governor also directed the Honorable Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, who was also part of the meeting, to immediately embark on a massive mobilization of the people of the state in readiness for the commencement of the program.
Some of those who attended the meeting included:
1. Dr. KCK Nwangwa, Honorable Commissioner for Education
2. Chief John Okiyi Kalu, Honorable Commissioner for Information
3. Elder Kizito Kalu, State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers
4. Lady Happiness Nwabaji, Ag. Executive Secretary, Secondary Education Management Board
5. Hon. Austine Ukoh, Dean of Education Secretaries, Abia State
6. Sir Paulinus Orji, State Secretary of Association of Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools, Abia State
7. Daniel Chinagozi of the Innovation Growth Hub.
8. Anyaso Anyaso, Director General of the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State (BCA).
