How Owners Of Private Schools In Delta State Celebrated 2017 NAPPS Day

The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Delta State Wing, has successfully held her ‘2017 NAPPS Day celebration’.

This event with theme: ‘Funding Private Education in Nigeria: Issues, Problems and Prospects’, which took place at The Cenotaph, Asaba, Delta State recently, attracted government functionaries and stakeholders in the educational sector in the state.

Declaring the programme open, the State Chairman, Dr. Ochuko Akpeme stressed that it was necessary for the Federal Government to pay attention to funding of private education, saying that this could be achieved by means of restructuring of the Education Trust Fund (ETF) to become a full-fledged bank, with the mandate to grant soft loan to investors in the education sector.

On her part, the National President of NAPPS, Dame Sally Adukwu-Bolujoko while delivering her address, opined that no nation can neglect education and survive.

She continued: “Nigeria must honour her teachers than other professions,” adding that those days, the Federal Government gave grants and aids to public schools and faith based schools unlike what obtains now where school owners are pushed to secure loans at high interest rates.

Sally urged NAPPS members to cut down cost as much as possible to accommodate the effect of the present economic situation in the country.

Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Tony Afejuku, a University of Benin lecturer with the Department of English and Literature, recalled how Awolowo influenced the political leaders in Western Nigeria which stretched from Ibadan to Asaba, and covered all the current political states of Yoruba land, Edo and Delta to give those that resided in these areas education without paying for it.

Continuing, he commended Late Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, a Minister of Finance in the first Republic who had three institutions in Sapele, Zik Academy, a primary school and two secondary schools, Zik Academy and Academy Grammar School (now named Okotie-Eboh Grammar) that were well funded by him to enable the institutions  place a premium on quality education.

According to him, Okotie-Eboh complied with Awolowo’s policy and produced great minds from his institutions like Major General Omu, Dr. Mrs. Dere Awoshika, Prof. Hope Eghagha, Mr. Henry Agbebire, Chief Tom Amioku, Ighoyota Amori, Late Vincent Jemide, an House of Representatives member in the 2^nd Republic, etc.

He added: “Two of Okotie-Eboh’s teachers followed his worthy example and founded Chude Girl’s Grammar School and Eziafa High School, both in Sapele.

Afejuku noted that, “the government claims to be committed to giving Nigerians progressive education, but as a matter of fact it treats teachers with disrespect, disdain and scorn.”

Present at the auspicious event were: Hon. Chiedu Ebie, Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Delta State, ably represented by the Permanent Secretary, David Onokpe; Gilbert Adoroh, representing the Controller, West Africa Examination Council, Asaba; Mrs. Hope Igumbor, Chairman of CIE Forum, Delta State, and CIE, Ughelli North Local Government Area; Mr. Charles Umekwe, North Central Council Member, NAPPS national and Lady Monikwe Magbegor, SA to NAPPS National president.

The second phase of the celebration saw NAPPS members in the state retiring for a dinner party in the evening at Adawo Hall, Bishop’s Court, Asaba.

By Daniel Dafe