- From Kenneth Udeh, Umuahia
Lawmaker representing Abia North Senatorial District Senator Orji Kalu has again reinforced his commitment to education in the zone as he flagged off the distribution of free school uniforms to pupils across the zone, marking another phase in his long-running educational intervention programme.
The distribution, which covers over 300 primary schools across the five local government areas of Umunneochi, Arochukwu, Isuikwuato, Ohafia and Bende, comes as the free supply of school desks facilitated by the Senator continues simultaneously across the constituency.
Flagging off the exercise, aides of the former Abia State governor noted that while many political actors engage in rhetoric, Senator Kalu has remained focused on tangible service delivery, particularly in the education sector.
In Umunneochi Local Government Area on Monday, pupils and teachers of Leru Central School, Umuchieze, were among the first beneficiaries.
They expressed gratitude to the Senator for what they described as sustained and impactful educational investments, including school renovations, distribution of desks, supply of learning materials and now free uniforms.
Beyond uniforms and desks, the Senator representing Abia North has also distributed free school bags to pupils across the senatorial district, while sustaining the supply of science textbooks in core subjects such as Mathematics, Biology, Physics and Chemistry, as well as other learning materials.
These interventions, education stakeholders say, are already yielding measurable improvements in teaching and learning outcomes.
The head teacher of Leru Central School, Umuchieze, who spoke on behalf of the staff, expressed gratitude to the Senator for the intervention.
“We will continue to celebrate our Senator. May God bless him for all he has done for our school. We, the teachers, are deeply grateful. We also thank his aides who delivered these items may God reward you all,” the head teacher said.
The lawmaker who currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission (SEDC), has over the years facilitated extensive construction and renovation of school infrastructure across the district.
His interventions focus on upgrading dilapidated facilities, building new classroom blocks and providing furniture to improve learning conditions.
Across Bende, Ohafia and Umunneochi LGAs, several schools have benefited from either new construction or major renovation works.
These include Amankalu Primary School, St. Joseph Primary School and Amankwo Primary School in Bende, as well as Leru Central School, Isuochi Central School and Lomara Central School in Umunneochi.
In Ohafia and Nkporo areas, projects cover schools such as Ujurueze Community Primary School, Nkwebi Community Primary School and Isiugwu Community School, with some facilities undergoing full renovation.
Beyond uniforms and desks, Senator Kalu has also sustained the free distribution of science textbooks in core subjects including Mathematics, Biology, Physics and Chemistry, alongside school bags and the renovation of dilapidated classrooms. These interventions, stakeholders say, are already yielding measurable improvements in teaching and learning outcomes.
Since his election to the Senate in 2019, more than 50 classroom blocks have either been newly constructed or reconstructed across Abia North as part of his education-focused constituency projects.
His aides recently supervised the delivery of desks and learning materials to Amankalu Primary School, Alayi, and St. Joseph Primary School, Alayi, among others in Bende LGA.
Speaking recently on the initiative, Senator Kalu said his goal remains the transformation of the education sector in Abia North to ease the teaching and learning process for both pupils and teachers.
“Education remains the strongest tool for empowering our children and securing the future of Abia North. This is why we are not only building and renovating schools, but also ensuring that pupils have desks, textbooks and now uniforms to learn with dignity”, the Senator stated.
Several schools captured under recent federal budget interventions across Arochukwu, Bende, Isuikwuato, Ohafia and Umunneochi LGAs are currently at different stages of construction and renovation, further expanding access to functional learning environments in rural communities.
Kalu in a recent quote recalled that many of the schools now being renovated were originally constructed during his tenure as Governor of Abia State between 1999 and 2007, but had fallen into disrepair after years of neglect.
According to records verified by the SUN Kalu as governor, implemented a free-education policy spanning primary to tertiary levels, renovated over 800 schools, built more than 500 new classrooms, and distributed over 150,000 desks and benches statewide.
With the ongoing uniform distribution, stakeholders in his constituency declared that Senator Kalu has effectively completed a full-circle intervention moving from school buildings to furniture, textbooks and now uniforms in what they describe as a comprehensive and sustained investment in the future of Abia North.
