Okowa Promises to Upgrade Facilities at Burnt School

Omon-Julius Onabu

The Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa has expressed his administration’s determination to continue with the upgrade of facilities in public secondary schools in the state to meet global standards in the education sector.

Speaking during an unscheduled visit to Chude Girls Model Secondary School, Sapele, which hostel was gutted by a night fire recently, the governor said improvement in the learning environment is crucial to the provision of quality education.

While expressing sadness at the level of havoc caused by the fire, he thanked God that no life was lost during the incident.

Okowa said public institutions should have facilities that will make the learning environment to be in tune with modern trend, adding that what he saw at the school could warrant a declaration of an emergency situation in the education sector.

He assured staff and students of the school that his administration has taken steps to ameliorate the effect of the fire even as more elaborate plans would be made to upgrade facilities in the school.

“I sympathize with the young ones who lost their belongings in the fire, we will try to replace what you have lost. This fire incident may be a blessing in disguise as I have inspected facilities here; I can assure you that this school will not be like this by next year. We will carry out construction work in the school systematically so as not to affect academic work seriously.”

The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, informed the governor that 95 students were in the hostel when the incident occurred, adding that “two classrooms have been converted to hostels in the interim.”

The Principal, Mrs. A. O. Omniabors thanked the governor for his prompt visit and intervention, saying that some philanthropists had come to the aid of the students since the day the incident occurred.