By Emmanuel O. Igwe
In a renewed push for accountability and discipline within Ebonyi State’s education sector, the newly appointed Commissioner for Education, Dr Donatus Chukwuma Ilang, has issued a stern call to school principals, head teachers, and education stakeholders across the state’s three senatorial zones to rise to their responsibilities or make way.
Addressing the lingering challenges undermining the quality of education, Dr Ilang identified several issues—ranging from habitual lateness, loitering during school hours, poor supervision, and environmental neglect to the leasing of school lands, encroachment, indiscipline, insecurity, and vandalism of school property.
According to the Commissioner, most of these problems are man-made and require proactive leadership, commitment, and community involvement to resolve. He emphasised that the purpose of his ongoing engagement across the zones was to collectively map out practical strategies for addressing the growing rot in the system.
Dr Ilang called on education secretaries and teachers to wake up to their duties and warned that the era of favouritism and political interference was over. He made it clear that those who fail to comply with expected standards would face strict sanctions.
The Commissioner further directed that schools—both public and private—revert to the former pupil assessment system of “Promoted” or “Not Promoted” to eliminate deceptive grading practices. He mandated that no pupil or student should be admitted without an authentic transfer letter and stamped academic record from their former institution, complete with contact details of the issuing authority.
“Principals and heads of schools must ensure due process in admissions and supervision. Any compromise will attract disciplinary action,” Ilang stated firmly.
He also encouraged school heads, in collaboration with the Parents-Teachers’ Association (PTA), to undertake minor repairs in school buildings and clear overgrown areas. “Government cannot do everything at once. Stakeholders must show commitment by taking charge where possible,” he added.
On the growing menace of scrap scavengers and land encroachers, Dr Ilang warned that such acts would no longer be tolerated. He revealed that a surveillance system had been put in place and called on communities to serve as watchdogs, urging prompt reports of suspicious activities to security agencies.
Introducing the Commissioner earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Hon. Mrs Ngozi Otozi, described the appointment as part of a strategic cabinet reshuffle aimed at revitalising the sector. She appealed for cooperation from all stakeholders and tasked school heads with enforcing decent dressing among students.
The stakeholders’ meetings drew contributions from school leaders across various zones. Mr Nwoba Christopher, Principal of Special Science School Igbagu in Izzi; Mrs Chinyere Omeri, Headmistress of Community Primary School Biledeba Ntezi in Ishielu; and Mr Okoronkwo Ogbonnaya, Principal of Ezi-Okposi High School Obiozara, expressed appreciation to the Commissioner for initiating open dialogue and pledged their loyalty to the ministry’s new direction.
They affirmed their readiness to uphold professional ethics and work collaboratively to improve learning outcomes in the state.
Dr Ilang’s engagements mark a shift towards hands-on leadership in a sector long plagued by complacency. The message is clear: under his watch, excuses will no longer be tolerated.
