By Obiageli Nwankwo
The Anambra State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ekene Ogugua, on July 16 called on secondary school principals to join hands with the state government in making Anambra the benchmark for quality education in Nigeria and a model for the rest of Africa through committed and innovative leadership.
Speaking at the 2026 Annual Congress of the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) held at Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha, Dr. Ogugua described principals as the primary implementers of Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s education transformation agenda.
He said while the Ministry of Education formulates policies, the success of such policies depends on principals, who oversee their implementation in schools across the state.
“Our duty is to make policies, but its successful implementation lies with you. We are all partners in this journey,” the Commissioner said, assuring the principals that the Ministry would continue to maintain an open-door policy to encourage collaboration and address their concerns.
Dr. Ogugua urged the principals to renew their commitment to service by leading with integrity, compassion, professionalism and courage, stressing that the government was determined to create schools where students feel safe, teachers are motivated and parents have confidence in the education system.
The Commissioner acknowledged challenges facing public schools, including inadequate infrastructure, increasing enrolment and changing educational demands, but assured the principals that Governor Soludo remained committed to tackling them through constructive dialogue, teamwork and practical, sustainable solutions.
Delivering the keynote paper titled “Innovative Leadership for Excellence in Education,” the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Chiamaka Nnake, challenged principals to embrace innovation and reposition their schools for excellence despite prevailing constraints.
She said that school leadership extends beyond monitoring attendance and daily administration, urging principals to develop unique identities for their schools, build strong institutional brands and adopt creative approaches capable of improving learning outcomes.
Mrs. Nnake further encouraged principals to maximise instructional time, invest in continuous professional development, build data-driven schools and provide accurate education data to support evidence-based government policies, while maintaining discipline as a core responsibility of school leadership.
Also presenting a paper titled “Life After Retirement,” Mrs. Carol Ikeaba advised principals to begin preparing for retirement while still in active service by investing wisely and positioning themselves for opportunities as education consultants, mentors to younger principals and community leaders.
The congress was attended by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Dr. Ifeoma Agbaizu; Chairman of the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB), Dr. Justina Anyadiegwu; Executive Secretary of the Post Primary Schools Service Commission, Mrs. Benedine Aniagor, and other education stakeholders.
*Obiageli Nwankwo is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
