The state governor, Dave Umahi, has come under fire from the Association of Ebonyi Indigenes Socio-cultural in Diaspora (AEISCID) for a remark purportedly made by him in which he allegedly stated that "university education is not for everyone and that is the truth."
According to reports, Umahi commented on the Academic Staff Union of Universities members' strike that has been ongoing for six months (ASUU).
On February 14, 2022, the teachers at the public institutions of the country began a strike that has since been repeatedly prolonged because their demands have not been satisfied.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the group's president, Paschal Oluchukwu, claimed that Umahi's administration had undone every advancement the state's prior administrations had made in the field of education.
It said: “It’s justiciable to bring to the fore how the man who is advocating for at least Basic and Secondary education for citizens indeed killed education at those two levels before eventually burying the two State-owned tertiary institutions – Ebonyi State University and the Ebonyi State College of Education, Ikwo.”
The group alleged that the actions of the current administration which has left the education sector in its dimwit shad,ows were inspired by greed and insatiable lust for money in institutions that his predecessors had carefully and deliberately invested in.
It stressed that it was aware that Umahi had inherited an Ebonyi that had a near excellent performance in academic examinations such as WAEC, NECO and other competitive academic contests like debates.
It stressed that the State’s Debating Championship team led by Professor Okpata made Nigeria proud even at the continental level.
The group explained that the history of education in Ebonyi State is such that the first civilian Governor, Sen. Dr. Sam Egwu deliberately offered free and compulsory education for all Ebonyians at least up to the Secondary level with the government registering at least NECO for finalist students.
It said this was further consolidated by his successor, Chief Martin Elechi who felt the need to sustain the education legacies, adding that his government brought Ebonyi to the limelight with proper remunerations of teachers and attracted funds and investments in the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB).
The group alleged that the current administration in the state has plunged the education sector in Ebonyi into a deeper mess.
“It is so bad that in his over 7 years reign, it has never been reported that he made a brief stop over in any of the public education facilities- be they Primary, Secondary or Tertiary institutions in the State.”