The Abia Government has shut down 197 ‘substandard’ private schools as part of its efforts to reform the education sector in the state.

The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mr Okey Kanu, said this when he addressed newsmen at the Government House, Umuahia on the outcome of Monday’s state Executive Council meeting.

Kanu said that about 900 private schools in the state had so far been inspected in the ongoing inspection of private schools.

He said that the exercise followed government’s resolve to improve the standard of education in the state.

He also spoke on government’s plan to fix internal roads in the major cities of the state, saying that the Ministry of Works had been directed to undertake the task.

Also, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Ngozi Okoronkwo, said that over 8,000 people had received free medicare under the ongoing free medical services offered by the State Government.

She said that government had begun to retrofit the Cottage Hospital in Aba, in a bid to enhance its capacity, adding that it would soon be reopened to the public.

The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Uzo Nwachukwu, said that the government had appointed Transition Committee Chairmen, Deputy Chairmen and Councillors for the 17 Local Government Councils.

Nwachukwu said that individuals with the capacity to deliver the rebuilding agenda of the present administration were selected to do the job.

He said that the TC members were entitled to a statutory six months tenure and that by reviewing the law, their tenure could be extended