Despite Threats, Rivers Primary Schools Resume Academic Work

The Rivers State Government has announced that all her public primary schools across the state have open for teaching and learning as the state government was not owing any security guard in her employment.
The Rivers State Education Commissioner, Prof Kaniye Ebeku, said this after a tour of public primary schools across Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor local government areas, Monday.
Ebeku said: "All our public schools have been reopened. The teachers and pupils are in their respective schools teaching and learning.
"Like I said before, we are not owing security guards that are in direct employment of the Rivers State Government. Therefore, nobody can close the gates of the public schools.
"The elements making noise on the radio are unknown to the Rivers State Government, and they have no contractual agreement with us."
At all the schools visited, the education commissioner had interactions with the pupils and their teachers.
Some of the public primary schools visited by the Rivers State commissioner include: State Primary Township Schools 1 and 2, Moscow Road; Centenary Primary School, Port Harcourt; and Saint Andrew’s Primary Schools (1,2,3 and 4) in the Diobu area of Port Harcourt.
Head Teacher of Port Harcourt City Centenary Primary School, Mrs Okachi Charity, said that 85 pupils turned up on the first day of resumption, adding that teaching and learning have already commenced.
A teacher at the Port Harcourt City Centenary Primary School, Mrs Joy Okoroafor, said she was happy to be back to her duty post.
Head Teacher of State Township Primary School 1, Moscow Road, Mrs Wokoma Robert, explained that all teachers in the school resumed on the first day, while over 300 pupils turned up for learning.
The Head Teacher of State Primary School 2, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, Mrs Blessing Idia, said that academic activities have started in earnest.
All the schools visited were also conducting admission of new pupils.