Bayelsa Plans Boarding Facilities in Public Schools

By Emmanuel Addeh

The Bayelsa State government would commence the reintroduction of boarding schools in its public school system to enhance the quality of education in the state from September, Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John-Jonah (retd), said on Tuesday.

To this end, the government announced that as from next month, 11 new model boarding schools would be opened in all the eight local government areas in the state, with highly populated councils getting more than one each.

John-Jonah, who spoke during the monthly transparency news briefing in his office at the Government House, Yenagoa, said that with the new arrangement, the quality of education in the state would improve noticeably.

The deputy governor added that the principals of the model schools would be assisted by governing committees to ensure that the schools are effectively run.
In readiness for the take-off, he said the state government has already awarded contracts to Nigerian Engineering Works, NEW, for the construction of beds and desks for the students.

John-Jonah who was flanked by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Chief Serena Dokubo-Spiff, Commissioner for Information, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite, Head of Service, Dr Peter Singabele, noted that much of the work would be executed by borrowing from financial institutions.

“The state government has got very grandiose plans of revitalizing the school system and the plan is to make sure that by the end of September or sometime in October boarding schools are reintroduced.

“Borrowing was made from banks to meet the construction and furnishing of the model secondary schools and government intends to commence these schools by the end of September or October to improve the standard of education in the state.
“Every local government would have one and we also have a sports institute ready in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, we are establishing more because of the population and vast nature of the LGA”, he said.

He explained that work on all the sites would not stop even after resumption of school, noting that it would be impossible to complete all the projects at once.