UMUAHIA: The Abia State Government has announced the establishment of 140 learning centres across the state through its Agency for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education, as part of efforts to expand access to education for adults and residents who missed formal schooling.
The initiative, introduced under the administration of Governor Alex Otti, is aimed at improving literacy levels and widening educational opportunities for underserved groups.
Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, disclosed the development while briefing journalists at Government House in Umuahia after the weekly State Executive Council meeting.
He said the learning centres were created to provide a second chance for people who could not complete their education through the formal school system, adding that the programme complements the state government’s broader reforms in the education sector.
Kanu also announced the constitution of a five-member special investigative committee to examine allegations of harassment and extortion involving students and lecturers at Abia State University, also known as ABSU.
According to him, the committee will investigate reported cases of bribery against a lecturer, claims of certificate forgery and the implementation of the 2024 white paper on an earlier panel that examined issues within the institution.
The committee is chaired by the Chief of Staff to the governor, Caleb Ajagba, while Dodoh Okafor serves as secretary.
The state government said the panel is expected to identify gaps in the implementation of previous recommendations and advise the Visitor to the university on measures needed to restore academic integrity and strengthen ethical standards in the institution.
As part of broader education reforms, Kanu said the 2026 annual school census commenced on May 11 and will run for one month across the state’s three senatorial districts. The exercise is expected to generate reliable data for planning and improve access to the state’s Hope Education Intervention Grant.
He also highlighted ongoing infrastructure development, stating that several road projects had been completed under both contract and direct labour arrangements, while the government continues to expand partnerships with the World Bank in areas including energy, education, agriculture and ICT.
On environmental management, the state said the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency had begun full enforcement of waste bin use in commercial vehicles as part of its sanitation campaign across the state.
