Taraba State governor, Agbu Kefas has explained that poor infrastructures in schools across the state is responsible for the slow implementation of his free and compulsory education policy in the state.
Governor Kefas however disclosed that massive construction of structures in schools is to commence in few days.
The governor stated this while addressing journalists at Government House in Jalingo on his plans to rejig the education sector for quality learning that could produce productive students who would be able to start life even after secondary school.
He also said there are people who are all out to sabotage his efforts to make education free in the state, stating that his government is ready to provide all it takes to make education free from primary to secondary school in the state.
He therefore warned that anybody found sabotaging the policy will be dealt with according to the law.
The governor said he has already engaged a contractor to identify people with building experiences to be engaged for massive construction of school structures across the sixteen local government areas of the state to improve the learning environments of the schools before the policy will be fully implemented.
“We have engaged a firm, its job is to assemble people with building experiences here in the state. In the next few days, you people will witness massive construction of school structures across the sixteen local government areas of Taraba State.
“Our plan is to make the students learn in conducive environments. You will discover that most of our schools don’t have parameter fencing, no classes for the children and even desks. We have to improve on these things first before we go into the technical aspects of learning,” Governor Kefas said.
He emphasised that though the government made registration of WAEC and NECO free, some school heads were extorting money from students for registration for the examinations.
“We have records available at the tip of our fingers; at the appropriate time, we will investigate the registration of both WAEC and NECO and anyone found wanting will be dealt with accordingly,” the governor said.