Students under the aegis of National Association of Delta Ijaw Students, NADIS, have said they will only support candidates with proven support for education.
This is even as the group demanded a swift intervention into the decaying state of education in riverine communities in the state.
The group placed the demand before leaders of Ijaw extraction, as well as the Delta State Government.
The group reiterated the need for leaders to rise up to the occasion when it paid a courtesy call to the lawmaker representing Burutu South Constituency at the Delta State House of Assembly, Pullah Ekpotuayerin, on Thursday in Warri.
Comrade Festus Ayigo, the NADIS President had highlighted the challenges faced by primary and secondary schools to include poor infrastructure such as desks, potable water, conveniences, staff quarters and understaffing, using the Gbesa Grammar School Ojobo, as a case study.
Ayigo also lamented the abandoned state of the Delta State School of Marine Technology, DESSOMATECH, which is the only higher institution across the coastal parts of Delta State.
He cited non-accreditation, lack of laboratories, hostels and the unavailability of a permanent site as some of the issues facing the school.
He expressed fears that the challenges of education if not nipped in the bud, may lead to a threat to development in the areas.
The lawmaker in his response, assured the students of tackling the issues raised to the best of his ability.
“I understand your plight and zeal to see that there is improvement in the education with emphasis on our areas.
“The primary responsibility of government is to secure the welfare of the people. I am doing my best to ensure that dividends of democracy gets to my people in every way possible.
“It is not news that our communities have been faced with these issues over the years. However, we’ll keep trying our best to improve the status quo.”
The Member House Committee on Transport, said only an inward look will salvage the areas of an educational comatose in the coming years.
“The primary responsibility of government is to secure the welfare of the people.
“To improve our education system, we must look inwards. We must put our house in order before reaching out to the government for intervention,” he added.
He commended the students for taking up the responsibility of ensuring that the fundamentals of basic education is made available for the people.
Ijaw Students Decry Poor Infrastructure, Lack of Teachers in Riverine Schools in Delta
