2021 NAPPS Day/Retreat Holds In Delta

By Daniel Dafe

The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Delta State Wing, has held her 2021 NAPPS Day/Retreat programme.

The well attended event took place on the 12th and 13th October, 2021,at Gordon’s Resort Hotel, McCarthy beach, Abraka , with the theme ‘Curbing Rising Spate of Insecurity- Way forward for Education in Nigeria’.

Dignitaries present at the programme include the Hon. Commissioner for Secondary Education, Hon. Rose Ezewu represented by Hon. Ossai C I E, Director, Inspectorate and Quality Assurance Department, Hon. Commissioner for Primary Education, Mr. Chika Ossai, represented by Dr. Mike Emeshili, Assistant Director and Technical Assistant to the governor, Vice Chancellor, Delta State University, Abraka, Prof. Andy Egwunyenga, represented by Mr. Michael Eshebinoma, Chief Inspector of Education, Ethiope East, Dr. Mrs Okorie Christiana, Commissioner of Police, Delta state, Ali Muhammed Ari represented by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Abraka, SP Fabian Ayome and the NAPPS National Vice President (South South), Chief Dr Ochuko Akpeme.

In his welcome address, Chairman, NAPPS, Delta, Deacon Monday Ifoghere, said the choice of the resort centre as venue was to allow school owners have a serene environment void of noise and the usual everyday hustling and bursting, adding that it was a time to relax and cross pollinate ideas, think out of the box as well as have fun.

He commended all regulatory Ministries of Education and the Honourable Commissioners of Education for always being there for NAPPS.

On his part, the National President, Chief Yomi Otubela, represented by Chief Akpeme, said the selected theme for 2021 NAPPS day is appropriate as the need to secure schools and also ensure the safety of the learners, staff and others in the school system becomes crucial as the rate of reported kidnappings in schools continue to skyrocket in the country.

“You would agree with me that this year has been unusually challenging for the governments, school owners, school administrators, students, school staff and parents due to persistent kidnappings of individuals,” he said.
Furthermore, he called on both the federal and the state governments to ensure that all kidnapped students are released as soon as possible.

“We also plead with both the Federal Government and state governments to put machinery in place to secure the learning environments by increasing police surveillance on schools throughout the nation as it appears that kidnappings of groups of students have now become the order of the day,” he added.
Continuing, he called on stakeholders in the education sector in Nigeria to consider the fortification of security arrangements in schools as a way of complementing various government efforts to ensure safety in schools.

Meanwhile, he emphasized the need for the federal government to pay attention to provision of education grants, reduction of levies and taxes to ensure continued operations of private schools because they complement efforts of governments by providing quality education to Nigeria learners.

He went further to stress on the need for a tax free regime for workers in private schools.

Chief Otubela sympathized with families and members of NAPPS who lost their loved ones to COVID-19 deaths in year 2020.

In his goodwill message, Chike Ossai, spoke on positive and negative influences of modern technology.

According to him, children who are supposed to be potential learners now take education for granted and suggested that this tide must be stopped.

He also underscored the importance of education in the realisation of the objectives and aspirations in the socioeconomic, political and technological development of the country and recalled the devastating effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the education and other critical sectors of the economy.

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Mr. Ossai said that the situation became worse with the growing insecurity, adding that the theme of the celebration: “Curbing Rising Spate of Insecurity-Way Forward for the Education in Nigeria” was timely and apt.

He stated that national objectives might not be attained where various indicators of standards, especially the product of education system, had shown steady decline.

The commissioner noted that the roles of school proprietors and teachers were key as deliberate strategies to salvage the situation, saying that they should rededicate themselves to the common goal of taking the education sector to greater heights.

Mr. Ossai, however, reaffirmed the determination of the State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to continue to improve the standard of education in the state through several strategies, stressing that school proprietors and teachers should work as a team and shun acts capable of causing disunity among themselves.

Also speaking, Professor Egwunyenga said that there is need for government and citizens to work together through intelligence gathering in order to get to the root cause of insecurity in the nation.

He further stressed that parents cannot keep children of school age at home because of insecurity, saying that a more proactive step of awareness is needed.

In a keynote address by the Commissioner of Police, Delta State, he advised school proprietors to adopt a range of crime prevention strategies to reduce the likelihood and consequences of criminal activities in schools.

He made it known that schools are at liberty to design their own cardinal security structures.

This, he said can be achieved through physical and electronic security measures put in place.

Paper presentations were made by Mrs. Ada of Klasic Educational Consult and Learn Africa.

A dinner/ gala night and awards ceremony took place on Tuesday evening.

Awards were presented to three long serving teachers in NAPPS schools. The recipients are Mrs Okocha Mary, from ANIOCHA South, Omiji R A. from Ukwuani and Blessing Orere from Sapele.

Dignitaries that received awards from the three senatorial districts include Chief Igbogine, Lady Okocha, Hon Erhimu, Mrs Akirika Q, Mrs Lawal O S and Ezenduka.

A special Personality award was presented to the Chairman, Learn Africa
Chief Emeke lwerebom.

Wednesday morning was dedicated to sporting activities.