The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the University of Port Harcourt, Mao Ohuabunwa, has warned that Nigeria’s approach to expanding educational institutions is unsustainable, cautioning against the continued establishment of new schools while existing ones are left to deteriorate.
Ohuabunwa made the remarks during an alumni event at Enitonna High School in Port Harcourt, where a strategic development master plan for the institution was unveiled. He stressed the need for government to prioritise the rehabilitation and proper funding of existing schools rather than spreading limited resources thinly across new institutions.
According to him, a more pragmatic approach may include merging institutions where necessary to ensure efficient management, improved funding, and better educational outcomes. He further noted that government alone can no longer shoulder the burden of funding education, calling for stronger partnerships with alumni associations, private organisations, and intervention agencies such as the Niger Delta Development Commission.
Describing the state of Enitonna High School as disturbing, Ohuabunwa urged immediate and coordinated intervention to restore the institution’s lost glory, warning that continued neglect of legacy schools could erode the country’s educational foundation.
Also speaking, Chairman of the occasion, Chris Akani, called for a policy shift toward the rehabilitation of existing institutions, noting that neglect of long-standing schools poses a serious threat to the education sector. He echoed calls for possible mergers where necessary to optimise resources and improve efficiency.
In his remarks, National President of the Enitonna High School Alumni Association, Godfrey Ohuabunwa, said the unveiling of a ₦1.7 billion, 10-year master plan marks a significant step toward revitalising the school. Founded in 1932, he noted, the institution has suffered years of neglect, land encroachment, and infrastructural decay.
He explained that the plan includes the construction of new classrooms, hostels, and a modern ICT centre aimed at improving learning outcomes, while appealing for government and stakeholder support for its successful implementation.
The school’s Principal, Thomas Gogogute, also called for urgent intervention, emphasising that despite its legacy of academic excellence, discipline, and character development, the institution now requires collective action to restore its dignity and reposition it for the future.