BY OKEY ALOZIE
The team spirit, synergy and harmonious working relationship that prevailed in the Imo Education sector before the current executive secretary, Secondary Education Management Board (SEMB), Dame Augustina Azubuike and the Commissioner for Education (Primary Secondary) Prof. B.T.O Ikeagwuoha assume office, has now become a direct opposite of what is obtainable today. The rancour, acrimony and mistrust seen in the high and low places of the education sector, especially as it concerns SEMB Boss Dame Augustina Azubuike and the Commissioner in charge of Education (Primary and Secondary) has now turned things upside down. Even the reopening of Public secondary schools has also been badly affected by this crisis which has now escalated into a serious war and it is said to have brought division among the school principals and teachers.
While some principals and teacher are allegedly supporting the SEMB Boss in all her actions, others are working for the Commissioner, and this dichotomy from all indications is working against the progress of education in Imo State.
Schools in Imo State reopened on Monday 8th of August 2025 without students as we gathered. Principals of Public schools, up till now as we gathered are still living in fear because of the war between the two captains. The SEMB Boss was alleged to have made some posting of Directors to serve as Principals of Public Secondary Schools. And these posting as we learnt has been cancelled by the Hon. Commissioner for Education. We were also told that school resumption meeting between Executive Secretary and principals of schools schedule to take place at Government college, owerri on Wednesday 10th of August, 2025, could not hold again.
The cold war between the SEMB Boss and Commissioner for Education as we further gathered has continued to bring bad image to the education sector. And both of them were alleged to have been working in opposite direction. These crisis as we were told have destroyed the system as Teachers and Principals are now crying out begging the Governor to intervein as a matter of urgency to save the education sector (primary and secondary) from total collapse.
Information getting to our news desk revealed that principals are no longer functioning well in schools. Moreover, things for now are not working well, as we observed. A house divided among itself cannot stand again.
As it stands now, parents are threatening to withdraw their children out of public schools because of this endless war going on between the SEMB Boss and the Commissioner.
It could be recalled that the Commissioner recently accused the SEMB Boss of ploting to remove him from office. He also accused he of working against the biometric verification exercise directed by the Governor of Imo State Dist. Senator Hope Uzodinma. The SEMB Boss on her own reacted to the accusations, saying that her hands are clean.
For more than one month now, both of them have been fighting each other through social media, moreover, they are no longer having good working relationship anymore. Ofcourse, where two elephants are fighting, the grasses there suffers a lot. As the school resumes for new academic session, Principals, teaches as well as students are said to be in fear because of the war between the two captains.
