By Ikenna Nwokedi 

The President-General of Ifitedunu Community, Comrade Stephen Ufoaroh on Tuesday, 1st April, 2025 held a special interactive session with Owners and Proprietors of Private Schools domiciled in the community.

The meeting between Ifitedunu Town Union (ITU) and the private schools held at the Ifitedunu Civic Centre was aimed at highlighting as well as implementing policies geared towards promoting educational values, achieving academic excellence and churning out young school leavers who are tested and trusted both in character and learning.

Comrade Ufoaroh, a scholar at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka informed that the meeting was important in re-emphasizing the role of teachers and schools in nation building and what is expected of the students in the course of their academic pursuit. 

The Ifitedunu PG who is also the former Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Chairperson UNIZIK Chapter further disclosed that a set of resolutions will be made at the meeting in agreement with both stakeholders while assuring the private school owners and proprietors of the support of the community.

In the course of the maiden interaction, a six-point resolutions were made as follows;

1) Any school found to engage in any form of malpractice will be closed down.

2) All School Management must strive to improve the quality of teaching and learning given to Umu Ifitedunu and residents of Ifitedunu by employing quality teachers and improved environment.

3) Character moulding of students/pupils should be given more attention and discipline of students should be taken more seriously.

4) The ban on use of phones by students in all secondary schools by Anambra State Government should be enforced by all schools in Ifitedunu.

5) Ban on the use of drugs by students must be enforced at all cost.

6) Teachers must handle Pupils/Students with love and care as foster parents, as 70% of Pupils' /Students' life in a year is spent in the school environment. 

Ifitedunu Town Union on her part promised to support and encourage the private school owners in the following ways:

1) ITU to assist in enforcing discipline among Pupils, Students and Parents. The era of parents' harassment of teachers because they disciplined their children will no longer be acceptable. 

2) ITU to assist in organising workshops/seminars/orientation/excursion for both teachers and students. 

3) ITU to assist in sourcing for quality teachers for various schools as the need arises.

4) ITU to establish a reward and encouragement system for the best students in WAEC, NECO and JAMB as well as teachers whose students performed excellently in these Examinations.

5) ITU to seek support from Umu ifitedunu in taking up the academic bill of indigent but brilliant students and pupils as well as offer support for WAEC and JAMB registrations of candidates. 

6) ITU to enforce the State Government ban on children loitering around the streets during school hours. 

Comrade Ufoaroh thanked the private school owners for their engagement with the current ITU leadership under his watch as the fruitful interaction is aimed at providing support and direction to Ifitedunu youths, as well as encouraging hard work and discipline. 

Comrade Ufoaroh, a Professor of Computer and Control Engineering, further disclosed that the resolution will also be applicable to government owned primary and secondary schools domiciled in the community.