The Commissioner for Education in Cross River, Prof. Offiong Offiong, said that the State Government spent N1.2 billion on the provision of laboratory equipment in 60 Schools in 2012.
Offiong told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar that the expenditure was in consonance with the State Government’s resolve to provide qualitative education to the people. He said that the 60 schools was the first phase of the government’s effort to comprehensively renovate schools in the 18 Local Government areas.
He said that 40 of the benefitting schools had been equipped with the laboratory facilities. “The contract to equip the schools covers Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Computer laboratories and the value is N1.2 billion,” he said.
The commissioner said that the government had also provided tables, chairs and twin-desks for teachers in the schools at the cost of N340 million. He said that 41 schools would benefit in the second phase, adding that Gov. Liyel Imoke, had approved funds for the project.
According to him, in the ministry, we have concluded the pre-qualification of contractors for the projects under the scheme and we hope to award the contracts soon.
He, therefore, appealed to schools and communities that were yet to benefit to be patience, stressing that all schools in the state would receive the same attention. Offiong announced that the ministry had set up Maintenance Committees in public schools to ensure that facilities were regularly maintained and their utility sustained.
He also said that the ministry had embarked on capacity building programme for school Inspectors, adding no fewer than 212 of them were trained in 2012. He added that 3,508 teachers were also trained under the Teachers Professional Development scheme in the state. (NAN)