Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi places top priority when it concerns Education. He can sacrifice his last penny when educational issues are raised.
While he held sway as Governor of Rivers State, to encourage and motivate teachers , he paid the highest salary in Nigeria , including sundry allowances and Scholarship to them , for quality educational standards. He ensured that teachers were promoted timely.
His quest for improved educational standards and measures he adopted to achieve that ,earned Port Harcourt the World Book Capital in 2014, during his administration.
Amaechi passionately believes that backgrounds should not be an inhibition to acquiring good education, since education is a major bedrock for lifting people out of poverty. Thus everyone is entitled to Education, no matter your financial status.
Bearing these circumstances at heart , he declared free Education for all public Primary and Secondary Schools in Rivers State,
Including the provision of free uniform and bags for for students of such schools.
The lecturers were not left behind. He gave Scholarship to all indigenous Lecturers in Rivers State University of Science and Technology to Upgrade to PhD.
The drive to encourage education further made him pay Bursary annually to both Undergraduates and Postgraduates Students of Rivers origin in Nigerian Universities.
I, Mrs Opem Udose was a beneficiary his benevolence and magnanimity. As a Student Leader then, I was privy to these facts, as I was part of the coordinating processes during my tenure as a Member of the NURSS Legislative Council(UNIPORT Chapter), Representing Ahoada-West Students and also as the Former Vice-President of the National Union Of Ahoada-West Students.
Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi gave Scholarship to over 5000 Students in Nigerian Universities and Scholarship to over 3000 Students for schools overseas, spread across the globe.
He Had a functional Scholarship Board. The RSSDA was a very vital agency for providing scholarship for International Students.
It is interesting to note that Scholarship under his watch was awarded purely on merit, giving opportunities for children from even very economically and socially disadvantaged families the leverage to study abroad.
Rivers State Students as at today do not know what it means to receive Bursary.
They do not know what it means to be sent abroad on Scholarship for Studies. Teachers are not paid promptly. Since Amaechi left the State as the Governor, Secondary and Primary school teachers have remained in the Salary Grade Level they were as at then , as the present administration has not deemed it necessary to promote them .
Education management in Rivers State as at today is at a very abysmal level.
What a Sad Reality!
Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is an excellent Performer when it comes to Leadership.
I choose Rotimi Amaechi for President of Nigeria come 2023 for a greater Nigeria.
