Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, said improving the deplorable education sector remains one of the top priorities of his administration, revealing that education will receive the highest allocation in the state’s 2026 budget.
The governor made the disclosure on Monday while declaring open the 123rd and 124th combined quarterly meeting of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers in Port Harcourt.
Governor Fubara admitted that numerous public schools across the state were in deplorable condition, but stressed that the deterioration “did not start today,” noting that the decay predated his administration. He added that the poor state of education was among the major problems weaponised by political opponents during the 2023 election campaigns.
He said his administration was working systematically to reverse the trend, guided by his background in public administration.
“We are taking strategic steps to fix the system. It didn’t get bad overnight, and it won’t be corrected overnight. But we are committed, and the results will speak,” he said.
The governor also highlighted ongoing upgrades in the healthcare sector, pointing to the rehabilitation of zonal hospitals and improvements in the welfare of health workers as part of efforts to strengthen service delivery.
On employment, Governor Fubara reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to creating jobs, including the planned recruitment of 10,000 workers. However, he insisted that all hiring processes would be guided strictly by the needs of the state.
“Recruitment will not be politicised. It will be based on what the state genuinely needs,” he assured.
Monday’s gathering, which marked the third and fourth combined meeting of the year, and the fourth since the governor assumed office, also provided an opportunity for Governor Fubara to commend traditional rulers for their role in easing political tensions in the state.
He said their timely interventions helped maintain stability during a prolonged political impasse, contributing to the calm currently being experienced in the state.
Governor Fubara’s remarks come just hours after a viral video surfaced online in which the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, sharply criticised the State government over the worsening state of basic education in the State.
In the video, the Speaker described the condition of many primary and secondary schools as “deplorable,” accusing relevant authorities of abandoning their responsibilities.
“Public schools in Rivers State, particularly at the primary and secondary level, are generally in a deplorable condition. It’s a fact. The reason is abandonment by people who are supposed to be doing the needful,” Amaewhule said.
He narrated findings by the Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Education, stating that in some schools, one teacher handles two classes simultaneously within a single classroom.
“One teacher is teaching two classes, primary one and two, in the same room. The teacher teaches primary one a little while primary two listens, then switches. There are no toilets, no electricity, no security. Meanwhile, the school shares a fence with the PHED headquarters,” he said.
Amaewhule also alleged that vandals had taken over some schools, destroying the little infrastructure that once existed.
The Speaker criticised the state’s education agencies for failing to address the issues despite repeated legislative interventions: “The Rivers State SUBEB Council has done nothing to remedy the situation. This is a sad commentary. Something has to be done for our schools, for our children, for the future of the state.”
He further questioned why the state had yet to conclude the recruitment of 10,000 workers reportedly initiated by the previous administration, arguing that lack of political will, rather than lack of funds, was to blame.
“As at the time the last administrator left, he left over ₦600 billion in the state’s accounts by October. Can’t such funds be used to fix our schools?” he queried.
Amaewhule also lamented reports of pupils being taught by passers-by due to acute shortage of teachers and described seeing classrooms overgrown with weeds in some rural communities.
“How would anyone believe that in 2025, in a state like Rivers, pedestrians are being called to teach children because there are no teachers? This is an abomination,” he said.
