What I will do after donating 500,000 uniforms to schools - Ayade

Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade (2nd R), Chairman, National Council for the West African Examination Council (WAEC), Dr. Mrs. Lami Amidu (1st R), at the presentation of school uniforms to pupils of Cross River State Primary School during the 59th WAEC Conference in Calabar on Thursday.

Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade has donated over 500,000 free uniforms to public schools across the state under the Ayade School Uniform Programme.

This was even as he disclosed plans by the state government to set up shoe manufacturing factory.

The governor made the presentation shortly after declaring open the 56th Annual Meeting of the Nigeria National Committee of West Africa Examinations Council held at the Transcorp Hotel, Calabar, yesterday.

According to Ayade, the gesture was in fulfillment of his earlier promise to the pupils two years ago during one of his outings with them.

In his words, “Let me announce to you that this is a product of the Cross River State garment factory. 500,000 uniforms donated for free to pupils in cross River State public schools and I have also directed that private schools should be given 10 percent of these uniforms.”

The governor who said he was focusing on primary schools pupils, hinted: “We are focusing on the young pupil and that is why I thought it wise to do this presentation today. We intend to dress them properly and let me inform you that our shoe factory is coming up soon where we also intend to produce school sandals and present same free to them to build their confidence and make them see themselves as equals to those in the private schools.”

While urging WAEC to proffer solutions to the fallen standard of education in the country, Ayade reasoned: “Society has moved so fast and education cannot catch up at the speed because of wrong educational structure and so, WAEC has to restructure it syllabus especially in line with current realities.”

The governor enjoined the examination body to realize that there is need  for a paradigm shift from the conventional question setting for knowledge testing to practical implementation of knowledge, adding that practical exposure is the key to the future Nigeria now desires.

According to the governor, “Values, ethics Kantianism, integrity, character of a man which has always been the foundation of our primary education that laid the foundation for the prosperity of a future Nigeria has changed and must be corrected and fast too.”

“I challenge this committee to restructure our curriculum to reflect the quality of our youths because if we must get it right, it must start at that level,” the governor emphasized.

Chairman, Nigeria National Council of the West Africa Examination Council, Dr. (Mrs.) Lami Amodu commended Governor Ben Ayade for the rapid developmental strides that has placed Cross River as one of the fastest industrialising states in the country, noted that the state had a long history with education and therefore, was considered very elitist in Nigeria.

While thanking the state government for the support to the examination body over the years, the WAEC boss reasoned that with the quantum of investments the state has made in educational sector so far, as well as the governor’s personal interest in the sector, Cross River State will soon be placed top on the global education map.

Her words: “Your Excellency, let me state here that your warmth and demonstrated passion to education is highly infectious. I wish to thank you for the approval you gave for the donation of two pick up vans to WAEC office,  Calabar to assist the council in serving the state better.