Bayelsa Govt. Approves N1.3bn for Purchase of Textbooks

By Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

The government of Bayelsa State yesterday approved N1.3 billion for the purchase and supply of textbooks to schools in the state.

The approval of the funds to enhance the free education programme of the state came just as the government expressed delight on Friday for coming third in the National Examinations Council Examinations (NECO).

Commissioner for Education, Mr. Markson Fefegha, said the Governor decided to grant the request, including printing the books as part of his commitment to quality education for all Bayelsa children.

Fefegha also pointed out that the State Executive Council had approved the review of the lopsided posting of academic and non-academic staff in primary and secondary schools in the state.

He said a committee to make recommendations regarding funding of primary schools, had been set up as the government had decided to employ teachers by next year.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, outgoing Chief Press Secretary to the governor said that the “massive investment of the Bayelsa government has continued to produce great fruits”

The statement added that the government was excited over the emergence of the state as the overall third best in the latest NECO results released by the examination body on Thursday.

The Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Charles Uwakwe who announced the release of the results in Minna, Niger State, had said Bayelsa came third with 84.52 percent behind Edo 84.61 percent and Ekiti 85 percent.

“The cheering news is coming few weeks after Bayelsa also emerged as the fifth best state in the May/June 2017 WAEC examination.

“The result released by the exam body showed clearly that candidates from Bayelsa did well in core subjects such as English and Mathematics as well as in science subjects.

“The feat recorded by the state has justified the over N50 billion that has been spent in that sector after Governor Seriake Dickson in 2012 declared a state of emergency due to the deplorable condition of schools, lack of adequate and quality teachers and learning aids,” Iworiso-Markson said.