Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has declared a sweeping reform of the state’s education sector, vowing to reposition schools as the bedrock of Edo’s long-term development.
Unveiling the roadmap in Benin City, Okpebholo said his administration is determined to correct decades of neglect by rebuilding schools into modern learning centres fitted with STEM laboratories, functional classrooms, sanitation facilities and teaching aids.
The reforms, being implemented under the watch of Commissioner for Education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu, are anchored on inclusivity and integrity. Through the EduRescue Initiative, children previously out of school are being reintegrated, with free books and learning materials provided to eliminate barriers to access.
Equally central is the focus on teachers as drivers of excellence. “No education system can rise above the quality of its teachers,” Dr. Iyamu said. “That is why we are investing in them like never before.” Already, teachers across the state are being recruited, trained and digitally empowered with tablets and standardized lesson scripts to deliver uniform, high-quality instruction.
The administration is also redefining learning outcomes to ensure that every student completing junior secondary school graduates with a trade certification, equipping them with employable skills alongside academics. Technical colleges in Igarra, Irrua and Benin are being revitalized, while a new National College in Ovia is underway.
At the higher education level, Ambrose Alli University is receiving two new lecture theatres with 1,500-seat capacity each, as well as a 600-bed hostel, while a 5-kilometre road abandoned for over two decades is now being completed at Usen Polytechnic. EdoCert 2.0 has digitized academic records, ending years of bureaucratic bottlenecks for graduates.
To restore credibility to the system, unregulated “miracle centres” and mushroom schools are being shut down, with WAEC and NECO working with the state to combat examination malpractice.
The government has further rolled out a bursary scheme for indigent students and adopted the Federal Government’s NELFund programme, ensuring no child is left behind due to financial hardship.
Beyond classrooms, civic education, moral reorientation, guidance and counselling, and sports development are being revived. The Principals’ Cup and Governor’s Cup are back on track, designed to cultivate discipline, teamwork and leadership in young people.
“Our long-term ambition is for Edo to be the national model of education reform,” Iyamu stated. “We want children here not just to be literate, but to be globally competitive, entrepreneurial and future-ready.”
Governor Okpebholo Rolls Out Bold Education Reforms To Rebuild Edo’s Future
