Peterside Urges Wike to Employ Teachers in Rivers

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The former Rivers State gubernatorial candidate under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has called on the state Governor Nyesom Wike, to employ teachers in the public primary and secondary schools state.

Peterside, who spoke in a statement yesterday, signed by his media team, lamented the alleged falling standards of education in the state owing to lack of teachers and classrooms.

He stated that many schools have been shut down across the state as there were no personnel to teach children.

“As at today, Rivers State is lacking teachers in practically all primary and secondary schools. In some cases, many primary schools have been shut down owing to lack of teachers and even classrooms.

“For example, in Etche local government area, more than 30 primary schools do not have teachers, while some have just one or two teachers.

“In Obio/Akpor, where the governor comes from, several secondary schools are lacking teachers in core subjects like English, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Economics, among others.

“Even more shocking is the fact that while teachers are available in some cases, there are no classroom blocks and teaching aids to help impact knowledge”.

According to him, “the governor cares less about the future of Rivers children, hence his adamant position not to employ teachers more than eight years after the last set were employed”.

Peterside also urged Governor Wike to save Rivers students from missing 2021/2022 admission into higher institutions in Nigeria.

Peterside spoke against the background of a report that students who wrote internal NECO exam in public schools in Rivers could not access their results as the state government was owing the exam body.

He lambasted the governor for not releasing money owed NECO “but is always quick to use state funds to feather his personal interests all over the country”.