By Obiageli Nwankwo
The Anambra State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, has commended Igwebuike Grammar School, Awka, for its forward-thinking approach to education, especially in skills acquisition. She gave the commendation during the unveiling of the 2025 maiden edition of the school’s Skills Acquisition and Award-Giving Day held at the school premises.
Prof. Chuma-Udeh expressed delight at the impressive display of talents by the students, describing the initiative as a step in the right direction. She emphasized that combining formal education with practical skills makes students more competitive in today’s dynamic world.
She also praised the school for aligning with the state government’s “1 Youth, 2 Skills” initiative, and announced that the state government will patent one of the products exhibited by the students as a show of support. This, she said, would encourage other schools to follow suit in nurturing students’ talents.
In her welcome address, the school Principal, Mrs. Amaka Ifebi, said the goal of the event was to showcase students’ acquired skills and uncover individual talents through training in various vocational areas. These included electrical wiring, barbing, bricklaying and interlocking, snail rearing, coding, and programming.
Mrs. Ifebi also thanked Governor Chukwuma Soludo for selecting Igwebuike Grammar School, Awka as one of the schools being upgraded to Smart School status. According to her, the upgrade has significantly motivated students to strive for academic and personal excellence.
The Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Ken Nwuba, encouraged the students to nurture their God-given talents, stressing that in today’s entrepreneurial world, skills are highly valuable. He cautioned against youths engaging in destructive lifestyles, urging them instead to focus on developing their areas of interest with the guidance of mentors and platforms like those offered by their school.
A key highlight of the event was a tour of the students’ exhibition stands by Prof. Chuma-Udeh, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Dr. Ifeoma Agbaizu. The event concluded with the presentation of awards to outstanding students.
Obiageli is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
