Edo State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu has attributed Governor Monday Okpebholo’s honour by the New Telegraph Newspapers as the Governor of the Year (Education) to his achievements, clear vision and political will.
Okpebholo was announced by the New Telegraph in recognition of his reforms and landmark investments that have repositioned the state’s education sector within a year.
Speaking on the award, the Commissioner maintained that education remains the cornerstone of the administration from day one.
He said Okpebholo gave the ministry the mandate and the resources to act decisively, and the results are visible across the state and added that strategic partnership with NELFUND to ensure no child in Edo tertiary institution is sent home because of school fees.
“Under Okpebholo’s leadership, the state recorded the construction of 100 schools within one year and the employment of 6,000 teachers, addressing both access and quality gaps.
Iyamu noted that subventions to tertiary institutions were also significantly increased, with Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, rising from ₦41 million to ₦500 million monthly, while Edo University, Iyamho, saw its monthly subvention jump from ₦25 million to ₦250 million.
He said International exposure was expanded through strategic partnerships that enabled teachers and students to study abroad, while student welfare received a boost with the reintroduction of bursary payments after a 20-year gap.
The said the long-standing bottlenecks at AAU were resolved, including the induction of 128 medical students delayed for four years, 810 nursing graduates stalled for three years, and over 1,000 students affected by JAMB regularisation issues since 2019, clearing their path to NYSC.
“These interventions are not isolated projects; they are part of a deliberate system-wide reform agenda. The New Telegraph award affirms that Edo State is back on the national education map.”
