Traders at Oye-Agu Market Abagana and Eke Awka market, Awka, erupted in joy, singing solidarity songs for Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, for his free education policy in the state.
The incident happened as the state Chairman, Post Primary Schools Service Commission, PPSSC, Professor Nkechi Ikediugwu took free education sensitization exercise to the areas.
During the exercise termed ,”Catch-And -Send-Them- To-School-For-Free”, Professor Ikediugwu, who was accompanied by officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corp, NSCDC, Anambra State Command, and some officials of her commission, rescued some child-hawkers and barrow pushers, after which they were taken to schools around the areas they were caught and registered.
It was gathered that all the children apprehended were supposed to be in either primary or secondary schools, with some living with their parents and others living with their guardians.
Professor Ikediugwu, while handing over some of the students to Nnamdi Azikiwe Secondary School, Abagana, Kenneth Dike Secondary School and Ikwodiaku Primary School, Awka, charged the Principals and Head teachers to ensure that the students are registered free of charge and are always in school.
She told them to endeavour to get the contacts of their parents and guardians and lamented that it is disheartening that the children are found hawking when they should be in school in spite of the free education policy of the present administration.
Some of the rescued children: Chiamaka and Onyedika Okwe, Chisom Joseph among others cited lack of money as one of the reasons they were hawking during school hours.
Some of the traders and a security agent, Mrs Adaeze Nnanna, Mr Freedom Onah, and Mr Chika Ekene who hailed the initiative, noted that it is heartbreaking that in spite of the free education policy of Governor Soludo, some parents and guardians are still not allowing their children to go to school and appealed to PPSSC to sustain the Sensitization and rescue of out of school children, revealing that their number is alarming especially in market areas around the state.
Credit: ABS/Queen Anigbogu