Governor Alex Otti of Abia says his administration’s efforts to rebuild the education sector and restore quality learning across all levels are yielding encouraging results.

Mr Otti said this on Tuesday in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area, when he received a delegation of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) officials, ahead of the 2025 annual Council Meeting scheduled to hold from November 17 to 21 in Abia.

He said education remains at the centre of his administration’s transformation agenda, following the state of emergency declared in the sector shortly after he assumed office in 2023.

“When we came in, education was in a very terrible state, with collapsed infrastructure, poor teacher quality, and low enrolment. We rolled up our sleeves and went to work immediately,” Mr Otti said.

He said the administration had renovated schools, introduced smart classrooms, and recruited and retrained teachers to improve learning outcomes.

“We began with training 2,000 master trainers under a ‘train-the-trainer’ scheme. So far, 5,394 new teachers have resumed, and we are recruiting another 5,000 to meet the required teacher-student ratio,” he said.

Mr Otti said the reforms were aimed at improving examination results and also producing well-rounded students capable of competing globally.

He commended WAEC for selecting Abia to host its 2025 council meeting.

“Hosting this meeting is a privilege that aligns perfectly with our vision. Abia is ready, and we promise to make it a memorable event,” Mr Otti said.

He expressed satisfaction that the reforms were already reflected in students’ performance and pledged continued investment in teacher training, digital learning, and curriculum development.

The state branch controller of WAEC, Mary Chima, commended the administration’s commitment to education reforms, discipline, and excellence.

Ms Chima said the achievements informed the council’s decision to award the state the hosting right for the meeting.

She said the meeting would bring together education commissioners, senior WAEC officials, and policy experts from across the federation.

“The choice of Abia among the five eastern states is a deliberate recognition of your administration’s exceptional commitment to educational excellence, discipline, and reform,” she said.

Ms Chima said the peaceful conduct of the 2024 WAEC examinations underscored the state government’s protection of education and its unwavering commitment to securing the future of Abia’s children.

She said that, in recognition of Abia’s cooperation, WAEC had extended special privileges to the state, including free access to educational data and the profiles of its top three candidates—services that ordinarily attract fees.

Ms Chima disclosed that prizes worth over ₦10.7 million, donated by the WAEC Endowment Fund Board of Trustees, would be presented to the three best schools, whose candidates excelled in the 2024 exams.

She announced that council members would pay a courtesy visit to the governor on November 19 and appealed to the relevant state officials to expedite preparations for the successful hosting of the event.

(NAN)