By Obiageli Nwankwo
As schools reopen for the 2026/2027 academic session, the Anambra State Ministry of Education has placed reading and literacy development at the heart of its monitoring visits, urging teachers to make strong reading skills a daily priority for pupils.
The emphasis was highlighted on Sept. 16 when the ministry’s team visited selected schools in Awka to assess resumption, classroom engagement and the quality of teaching and learning.
Representing the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ekene Ogugua, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mrs. Obiageli Chiegboka, visited Udodinma Primary School, Nodu-Okpuno, where she interacted with teachers and pupils, personally assessed some of the children’s reading and word-pronunciation skills.
In one of the learning moments, pupils took turns reading aloud, pronouncing words and responding to questions. Their interaction with the education team provided an opportunity to identify areas where they needed encouragement and more practice.
Chiegboka urged teachers to give greater attention to reading and correct pronunciation, stressing that literacy is fundamental to learning across all subjects.
“When a pupil is unable to pronounce words or read a full sentence, how can the child read the questions and answer them?” she asked.
She encouraged teachers to promote group reading, peer support and reading competitions, while urging head teachers to assess pupils based not only on completed lesson notes but also on what they can actually read, understand and apply.
The Headmistress of the school, Mrs. Rose Chidekwe-Udeh, said most pupils had returned to school, with full attendance expected the following week. She added that all teachers had resumed and that the school had recorded 28 new enrolments.
She, however, identified teacher shortages as a challenge following recent postings of some teachers out of the school without immediate replacements.
The monitoring visit, which included direct interaction with pupils, underscored the ministry’s focus on ensuring that school resumption goes beyond attendance to improving the quality of learning, particularly the ability of children to read confidently and participate actively in the classroom.
Obiageli Nwankwo is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
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