Chinedum Elekwachi
Anambra State Government has formally taken over the administration of Isingwu Community Secondary School, Oraifite.
The change of ownership happened under its Public-Private-Community Partnership (PPCP) initiative.
The move is aimed at expanding access to quality education across the state in line with Governor Soludo’s policy of ensuring education gets to the doorsteps of every Anambra child.
The ceremony at the school premises in Isingwu, Oraifite, marked the school’s transition from a community-managed institution to a government-owned secondary school.
The Commissioner for Education, Prof Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, commended the Isingwu community for their dedication in building and sustaining the school for three years.
Chuma-Udeh, represented by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Ifeoma Agbaizu praised their commitment to youth development through education.
She described it as a vital investment in the community’s future.
“What better legacy can one leave for the younger generation than the legacy of education?” she said.
PPCP for quality education
The Commissioner explained that the PPCP model provides a collaborative platform for the government, communities, and private individuals to work together in ensuring access to quality education for every child in Anambra State.
She encouraged other communities to partners with government, provided they met the state’s requirements for school takeovers.
She also urged the Isingwu community to construct a perimeter fence around the school to prevent land encroachment.
Chuma-Udeh identified this as an issue increasingly affecting government-owned school properties,” she disclosed.
Speaking separately, Executive Secretary, Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB), Mrs. Ebele Mgbemena, and her Post Primary Schools Service Commission (PPSSC), counterpart, Mrs Bernadine Anagor, praised the Isingwu community for their unity and dedication to educational development.
They assured that students and qualified teachers would be deployed to the school in the 2025/2026 academic session.
Mgbemena and Anagor also encouraged the community to remain actively involved in the school’s progress.
Expanding education access
Responding, President of the Isingwu Progressive Union, Chief Godwin Ugochukwu explained that they established the school to give children in the community and surrounding areas access to education.
“Having nurtured the school for three years, the community felt it was time to integrate it into the state’s education system for sustainable growth,” he added.
Ugochukwu expressed hope that government takeover would bring about improvements in infrastructure, teacher quality, and digital learning tools, ultimately raising the academic standard of the school.
