Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State is embarking on a complete overhaul of the state’s educational system with a long-term ambition of making it the national model of education reform.
The state commissioner for education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu, who on Tuesday rolled out a comprehensive and transformative roadmap for education in the state, said the goal is to make school children “not just to be literate but to be globally competitive, entrepreneurial, and future-ready.”
He said the reform which he stated is a deliberate and holistic strategy designed to reposition education as the foundation of Edo’s long-term development, reflected the administration’s commitment to providing every child with access to quality, future-ready learning opportunities.
Emphasising that the administration of Governor Okpebholo is addressing decades of decay across the education sector with unprecedented reforms, Dr Iyamu said dilapidated schools are being rebuilt into modern learning centres equipped with STEM laboratories, functional classrooms, sanitation facilities, and teaching aids.
Reeling out other reforms, the commissioner said through the “EduRescue Initiative,” children previously out of school are being reintegrated, with free books and learning materials provided to ensure inclusivity and equity, adding that government has prioritised the recruitment, continuous training, and digital empowerment of teachers, in acknowledgement of the fact that teachers are the drivers of educational excellence.
He noted that with tablets and standardised lesson scripts now in their hands, educators across the state are delivering uniform, high-quality instruction. “No education system can rise above the quality of its teachers,” Dr. Iyamu stated. “That is why we are investing in them like never before.”
Under the reforms, which would prepare young people with both academic and vocational competencies, every student completing junior secondary school will now graduate with a trade certification, equipping them with employable skills alongside traditional learning.
Towards this end, technical colleges in Igarra, Irrua, and Benin are being revitalised, while a new National College is under development in Ovia to strengthen Edo’s vocational and technical education framework.
In parallel, the Government has embarked on restoring integrity to the educational system with unregulated “miracle centres” and mushroom schools being shut down, while partnerships with WAEC and NECO are reinforcing the fight against examination malpractice.
With these measures, the government believes parents are regaining confidence in public schools, reassured that their children can now access education that is credible, competitive, and character-driven.
The higher education sector is also said to be witnessing significant renewal.
The commissioner disclosed that at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, the government is building two lecture theatres each with 1,500-seat capacity, alongside a 600-bed hostel, while at the Usen Polytechnic, a 5-kilometre road abandoned for over two decades is under completion.
In addition, the introduction of EdoCert 2.0 has digitised academic records, enabling students to securely access certificates online, ending years of bureaucratic delays.
Further underscoring the administration’s commitment to inclusivity, Dr. Iyamu said a bursary scheme for indigent students has been introduced, while the adoption of the Federal Government’s NELFund programme ensures that no child is excluded from school due to financial hardship.
To complete the package, civic education, guidance and counselling, moral reorientation, and sports development, through initiatives such as the Principals’ Cup and Governor’s Cup, are being revived to cultivate discipline, teamwork, and leadership among young people.
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