Shady deal mars CKS Model School project in A’Ibom Shady deal mars CKS Model School project in A’Ibom -as mgt shuts down ICT Centre, 20 computer sets missing

 

By Shadrach Okon

Barely eight months after Governor Umo Eno commissioned Christ The King Model Primary School Wellington Bassey Way, Uyo, the acclaimed world class model school project which is strategically located close to the seat of power in Akwa Ibom State has been marred with shady deals our investigation has revealed.

The Guide reporter who visited Christ The King Model Primary School last Monday 27 January, to ascertain the state of the facility discovered that the school’s ICT Centre was no longer functioning in the school.

The ICT Centre of Christ The King Model Primary School which on inauguration was fully equipped with twenty (20) computer sets and inspected by Governor Umo Eno has been shutdown by the school management our investigation reveals.

A source from government who confided in the Guide reporter revealed that all the 20 computer sets fixed at the ICT Centre were removed and carted away in a vehicle few weeks after Governor Eno commissioned the school.

When The Guide reporter visited the school last Monday on a fact- finding mission, pupils were in their various classes receiving lessons from their teachers. The Head Teacher Mrs Ukeme Udofia who was on duty obliged our reporter’s request to tour the facility.

The Head Teacher during the tour took our reporter around the various classes and the school library but however denied our reporter’s request to be given access to the ICT Centre of the model school.

Initially when the Guide reporter requested to be taken to assess the ICT Centre, Mrs Udofia had retorted: ‘It is not me and you.’ When our reporter insisted on the need to be given access to the ICT Centre, Mrs Udofia told our reporter that the door to ICT Centre developed fault last week which the management was yet to rectify.

Speaking about the state of the model school project, Mrs Udofia who however declined to comment on the staff strength of the school confirmed that four members of staff which were selected through balloting system have packed into the staff quarters within the school facility.

Our source revealed that the immediate Commissioner for Education in Akwa Ibom State, Mrs Idongesit Etiebiet was fully aware of the state of the ICT Centre of the school as officials who came to pack away the computer sets had claimed to work on instruction from the Ministry of Education in Akwa Ibom State.

It was equally revealed that the officials after packing the computer sets way from the school had returned to the school on another mission to pack books from the school library, the team who claimed to work on the instruction from the immediate past Commissioner for Education were however denied access to the library by the Head Teacher who had insisted on the need for them to sign the school visitor’s book before being given access to the library. Our source revealed that the officials who refused to sign any document from the Head Teacher during that visit went back and have not returned to the school again after that encounter with the Head Teacher.

According to our source, when the Rt Hon. Anietie Etuk, the Chairman of State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) visited the school, he was shocked after going through the ICT Centre and observed the ugly development. The SUBEB Chairman Rt.Hon. Anietie Etuk after putting a call across to other officials from the State Ministry of Education was told that the missing computer sets were diverted to another location based on the order given by an official at the highest cadre in the Ministry of Education, our source had said.

Besides it’s strategic location by Wellington Bassey Way, just a stone throw from the Government House, Christ the King Model Primary School is a well-secured school with perimeter fencing around the facility and security guards drawn from Nigeria Police Force to keep watch on the facility 24, hours.

Findings carried out by the Guide Newspaper also revealed that the clinic in the model school which was meant to provide first aid to pupils and staff has not been used by pupils and teachers eight months after the school was commissioned. Our reporter confirmed that Akwa Ibom State Goverment was yet to deploy any health worker to the facility.

It would be recalled that Governor Umo Eno while commissioning the school on 17th May 2024, had promised that the pilot model primary school in Akwa Ibom State with cutting edge technology would be managed inline with international best practices in the education sector.

Eno who described basic education as the bedrock of education had promised to sustain a high standard in all model schools across the state to serve as citadels of qualitative education for Akwa Ibom children.

The governor while commissioning the scho