Enrolment to increase in Cross River schools
The governorship candidate of the APC in Cross River State, Senator John Owan-Enoh, has pledged to increase student grants and enrolment. He said as a member of the House of Representatives and senator representing Cross River Central Senatorial District, he has given scholarships to over 2,000 young people as part of his human capacity development […]
The governorship candidate of the APC in Cross River State, Senator John Owan-Enoh, has pledged to increase student grants and enrolment.
He said as a member of the House of Representatives and senator representing Cross River Central Senatorial District, he has given scholarships to over 2,000 young people as part of his human capacity development programmes, and that as governor the number would ‘definitely’ increase.
He said most of the beneficiaries of his scholarship were from his senatorial district and other parts of the state, stating that they are in many secondary schools and universities in Nigeria.
Owan-Enoh also disclosed that as part of his 2019-2023 Rescue Mission agenda to govern the state, he intended to ensure that performance of students in exams was much better.
“As a former university lecturer for many years, I know the value of education and why young Nigerians must be encouraged to obtain it and gain good grades. As a state and federal law maker, education has been my cardinal focus and I have several thousands of students on my scholarship programmes.
“I can assure that with the passion I have for education which is my original constituency, I will not only increase the scholarship but increase school enrolment. I intend to increase primary school enrollment from the current 195,000 to 250,000; secondary schools from 110,00 to 140,500 and public secondary schools from 265 to 300. The number of classrooms will increase from 9,689 to 12,500 and we will look at renovating at least 60 public secondary schools.”
The former lecturer stated that if elected he would frown at pupils and students being sent away from schools over school fees.
He also said it was embarrassing to find that public educational facilities such as the state library and tertiary institutions have suffered ‘monumental’ infrastructural decay.
He said to reduce cult activities in schools in the state, he would have the teachers and student leaders sworn to an oath just as he would ensure that all members of his government took such oath.