EDUCATION

It is noteworthy that one policy thrust of this administration is the aggressive approach to teaching and learning at all levels, through the renovation, rehabilitation and construction of school buildings as well as provision of classroom furniture for both staff and pupils so as to make the teaching and learning process interesting and achievable. Also, the government in response to the nation's policy on French as a second language, has apart from encouraging the teaching and learning of French language in the State's public post-primary schools, selected six secondary schools as pilot schools for the effective teaching and learning of the French language and undertaking to build a befitting French language centre at Asaba, already renamed "Christie Akako French Language Resource Centre".

At present there are 1009 public primary schools, 316 public post-primary schools, two Colleges of Education and one State University at Abraka, with two Satellite Campuses located at Asaba and Oleh. In addition, government continues to encourage private participation in education through establishment of private institutions by individuals and organisations, which now number over 2000 (Nursery, Primary and Secondary). These are in addition to the existence of the Ministry of Education and its 25 Local Government Area Field offices still waxing strong; a State   Primary Education Board(SPEB), a Post-Primary Education Board (PPEB), an Institute of Continuing Education and a State Library Board.

Prior to Mr. Ighoyota Amori's appointment as Hon. Commissioner for Education he, as a Peoples' Democratic Party stalwart, had a very clear vision of his political party's mandate on Education in Delta State, which in a nutshell is the promotion of Education at all levels. It is therefore not surprising that within three (3) months in office as Commissioner for Education, he has demonstrated beyond doubt his irrevocable commitment to the implementation of his political party free and qualitative education programme, which was promised the electorate.

For example a total of 3,251 teaching and non-teaching staff of the PPEB have been promoted. In addition, scholarships have been awarded to students at various levels of education, while arrangements for the payment of Delta State bursary awards to Deltans in tertiary institutions have reached an advanced stage. Of great significance is the purchase of various textbooks from Evans Brothers Publishers at a cost of N8 million for distribution free of charge to secondary schools in the State. In addition, the Ministry has taken delivery of over eight thousand copies, each of books 2 and 3 of 'Understanding Mathematics' textbooks for distribution free of charge to primary schools in the State during the first term of the 1999/2000 academic session.

Arrangements are also on to distribute computers to selected schools in each Senatorial District of Delta State. On school sports, Mr. Ighoyota Amori has already sent out convincing signals of his unalloyed commitment to promoting school sports in the school system, as a way of complementing the efforts of the Delta State Sports Council in sports development in Delta State. Finally, the Harmonised Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (HATISS III) was approved for the tertiary institutions in Delta State within 3 months of his tenure in office thus laying to rest the protracted battle for years by ASUU for its implementation by Delta State Government.

An outline of the structure of the Ministry of Education

The Ministry of Education is the largest and most embracing ministry in Delta State. It comprises institutions and renders services to all communities,. social economic and political groups in the entire state and beyond.

The Ministry of Education is a very broad organisation. It has eight (8) departments, two (2) units, twenty five (25) field offices and eight (8) parastatals. The eight departments and two units that make-up the headquarters include the following:

i. Examinations and Standards;

ii. Finance and Supplies ;

iii Higher Education;

iv. Inspectorate;

v. Personnel Management;

vi. Planning, Research and Statistics;

vii Schools; and

viii Science, Vocational and Technical Education.

While the units include:

i. French Language Centre; and

ii Women Education.

3 The Parastatals under the Ministry are as follows:-

a.The Agency for Adult and Non-Formal Education:

b. College of Education, Agbor;

c. College of Education, Warri;

d. Delta State University, Abraka with Campuses at Asaba & Oleh;

e. Delta State Library Board; f. Institute of Continuing Education (ICE);

g. State Primary Education Board (SPEB); and

h. Post-Primary Education Board (PPEB).