Education: Dickson inaugurates Trust Fund Board, ‎kick-starts fund with N100m grant

A board to manage the Bayelsa State Education Development Trust Fund has been inaugurated with a mandate to also market the policies of the government in the education sector to Bayelsans and others, especially those in the informal sector.
Inaugurating the board on Monday inside the Government House, Ye‎nagoa, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson emphasized the need for them to do a thorough job that will become a model for other states.
According to him,‎ the board occupies a special pride of place in the Restoration Government because of the critical role it would undertake which also includes maintaining and sustaining the wonderful initiatives that has changed the face of education in the state.
He used the occasion to remind members of the board on the huge investment and intervention his administration has made since it declared a State of Emergency in the education sector such as the free boarding and feeding policy that captures over 10,000 pupils in public schools across the state.
“The most revolutionary initiative we have done so far is the compulsory boarding system in the state. The aim is to get young minds to‎gether after providing the needed infrastructure. We want to make it conducive to mold new sets of leaders for our state”. 
While announcing a take off sum of N100 million for the board, the governor also said five per cent of the monthly internally generated revenue of the state will be made available to the board and thanked civil servants and political appointees for their understanding and support of the policy. 
Dickson, who congratulated and thanked members of the board for accepting to serve, expressed confidence ‎that because they understand the importance of education, they will use their experience and knowledge adequately in the discharge of the very serious assignment. 
” This is one of the most important policy I will like to ‎leave behind. That is why it became necessary to scout around and select men and women of experience, commitment and dedication. But above all people who have integrity to manage the resources that will be allocated to the board.
“There is no state board or agency that will be getting the type of allocation and resources that this board will be getting every month‎. I carefully selected the members and they never canvassed for it. We are by this law and board as well as the policies we have rolled out secured the future of education in this state”.
The governor assured that he will not intervene in the running of the board and explained that their existence does not in anyway ‎stop the Ministry of Education and the State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB) from carrying their statutory functions.
In his remarks chairman of the board, Prof. Turner Isoun, gave kudos to the governor for having the political will to assent the bill that established the board and assured him that they will do their best to ensure the funds are managed properly. 
He pointed out that part of the problem in most societies is the inability of leaders ‎to use education to make available employment and empowerment opportunities for youths as well as create massive wealth and prosperity. 
Members of the board who were screened and cleared by the House of Assembly are Isoun as chairman, Dr (Mrs) Alice Atuwo, secretary, Chief G. M. Odumgba, Fidelis Agbiki, Prof. Francis Sikoki, Tobias James, Funkazi Koroye-Crooks and Stanley Damabide.
Others are,‎ Engr. Dienagha Ayibaesin, John Angese, Barr. Omieh Feremonde Cadbury, Abah Dressman, Fred Kemedei and Chief Noah Kikile.