Possibly out of a fight for his political survival following his public spat with Abia State governor Alex Otti, who suggested that Senator Orji Uzor Kalu may not return to the Senate, the lawmaker representing Abia North Senatorial District has reinforced his commitment to education by flagging off the distribution of free school uniforms across the zone.
Kalu, who is billed to seek re-election next year, launched the initiative covering over 300 primary schools across five local government areas: Umunneochi, Arochukwu, Isuikwuato, Ohafia, and Bende.
The exercise comes alongside his ongoing free supply of school desks across the constituency.
At the flag-off ceremony in Umunneochi Local Government Area, pupils and teachers of Leru Central School, Umuchieze, were among the first beneficiaries.
They expressed gratitude for what they described as sustained and impactful educational investments, including school renovations, distribution of desks, supply of learning materials, and now free uniforms.
Aides of the former Abia State governor noted that while many political actors rely on rhetoric, Senator Kalu has remained focused on tangible service delivery, particularly in the education sector.
Beyond uniforms and desks, Kalu has also distributed free school bags and sustained the supply of science textbooks in core subjects such as Mathematics, Biology, Physics, and Chemistry, alongside other learning materials.
Stakeholder Reactions
Education stakeholders say these interventions are already yielding measurable improvements in teaching and learning outcomes.
The head teacher of Leru Central School, speaking on behalf of staff, said: “We will continue to celebrate our Senator. May God bless him for all he has done for our school. We, the teachers, are deeply grateful. We also thank his aides who delivered these items. May God reward you all.”
Kalu, who currently chairs the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission (SEDC), has over the years facilitated extensive construction and renovation of school infrastructure across the district.
His interventions focus on upgrading dilapidated facilities, building new classroom blocks, and providing furniture to improve learning conditions.
Projects Across Abia North
Across Bende, Ohafia, and Umunneochi LGAs, several schools have benefited from either new construction or major renovation works. These include Amankalu Primary School, St. Joseph Primary School, Amankwo Primary School in Bende, as well as Leru Central School, Isuochi Central School, and Lomara Central School in Umunneochi.
In Ohafia and Nkporo, projects cover schools such as Ujurueze Community Primary School, Nkwebi Community Primary School, and Isiugwu Community School, with some facilities undergoing full renovation.
Since his election to the Senate in 2019, more than 50 classroom blocks have either been newly constructed or reconstructed across Abia North as part of his education-focused constituency projects.
Senator’s Vision
Speaking on the initiative, Kalu said his goal remains the transformation of the education sector in Abia North.
“Education remains the strongest tool for empowering our children and securing the future of Abia North. This is why we are not only building and renovating schools, but also ensuring that pupils have desks, textbooks, and now uniforms to learn with dignity,” he stated.
Several schools captured under recent federal budget interventions across Arochukwu, Bende, Isuikwuato, Ohafia, and Umunneochi are currently at different stages of construction and renovation, further expanding access to functional learning environments in rural communities.
Kalu recalled that many of the schools now being renovated were originally constructed during his tenure as Governor of Abia State (1999–2007) but had fallen into disrepair after years of neglect.
He claims he implemented a free-education policy spanning primary to tertiary levels, renovated over 800 schools, built more than 500 new classrooms, and distributed over 150,000 desks and benches statewide.
But not everyone is impressed with the Senator’s stated achievements.
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