Abia State’s Governor Alex Otti has said that over 700,000 children were now benefiting from its free and compulsory basic education policy, which took effect on January 1, 2024.
The Governor gave the figure while addressing a monthly media briefing, noting that the spike in school enrolment necessitated urgent recruitment of teachers.
“We first hired 5,000 teachers, but due to increasing enrolment, we have approved the recruitment of an additional 4,000,” Governor Otti said.
He added that the government was also investing in teacher capacity development, especially in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), to ensure students are future-ready.
“Our goal is to equip children to thrive in today’s tech-driven world—one of AI, robotics, and electric cars,” he emphasized.
