On Okpebholo as Governor of the Year 2025 in Education
Sir: Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, was on Monday announced by New Telegraph newspaper as its Governor of the Year 2025 in Education. The medium noted that it was
Sir: Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, was on Monday announced by New Telegraph newspaper as its Governor of the Year 2025 in Education. The medium noted that it was in recognition of his sweeping reforms, landmark investments, and articulated vision that has repositioned the state’s education sector within a remarkably short period.
The award, no doubt, can be traced to Governor Okpebholo’s political will and decisive leadership in addressing long-standing structural challenges across basic, secondary, and tertiary education in Edo State. Close watchers of the Okpebholo’s administration attest to the governor’s approach which is anchored on access, quality, welfare, and sustainability, all of which has produced visible results across the state within one year of his administration.
Edo State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu, attributed the award to the governor’s deliberate decision to empower the education ministry with both the mandate and the resources to act decisively.
One of the administration’s flagship achievements is the construction of over 100 schools within one year, significantly expanding access to education, especially in underserved communities. In addition, 6,000 teachers were recruited, addressing critical manpower gaps and improving the quality of instruction across public schools.
In the tertiary education sub-sector, the Okpebholo administration implemented unprecedented increases in institutional funding. Monthly subvention to Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, rose from N41 million to N500 million, while Edo University, Iyamho, saw its allocation increase from N25 million to N250 million. This is bold and unprecedented.
Beyond funding, the government also tackled entrenched administrative and regulatory bottlenecks that had stalled thousands of students’ academic progress for years. These include the successful induction of 128 medical students delayed for four years, the clearance of 810 nursing graduates held back for three years, and the resolution of JAMB regularisation issues affecting over 1,000 students since 2019, enabling them to proceed to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Besides, student welfare also received renewed attention with the reintroduction of bursary payments, discontinued for over 20 years, offering direct financial relief to Edo indigenes in higher institutions.
To further ensure access, the state entered a strategic partnership with the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), guaranteeing that no Edo student in a public tertiary institution is forced to drop out due to inability to pay school fees.
The administration also cleared over N4.6 billion in outstanding liabilities owed to retired education workers, resolving a long-standing issue that had lingered across successive administrations.
On global exposure and skills development, Edo State expanded international opportunities for both teachers and students through strategic partnerships that enabled overseas study and training. Notably, the government partnered with Google International to deliver advanced, job-ready technology skills, equipping students for competitiveness in the global digital economy.
That’s not all. Okpebholo also made efforts in the area of infrastructure, technology and innovation. In a significant infrastructure milestone, the administration secured and completed the construction of internal roads within the state-owned polytechnic, a project abandoned for 23 years, through collaboration with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
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The state also embraced digital transformation with the launch of EdoCert 2.0, a certificate digitisation platform that allows academic results to be verified online. The initiative, implemented in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, enhances transparency, credibility, and global acceptance of Edo-issued academic certificates.
There is also the EduRescue and inclusive education approach of the governor which further reinforced the administration’s inclusive agenda. When Okpebholo launched the EduRescue Programme, it was aimed at removing children from the streets and reintegrating them into formal education and it was a success.
The programme which targets out-of-school children provided structured pathways back into classrooms thus addressing one of the most pressing social challenges affecting education outcomes.
I have no doubt that another factor that earned the governor this award was his model of focussed governance where policy clarity, funding, discipline, and execution converge to deliver measurable impact.
The New Telegraph Governor of the Year 2025 in Education award, therefore, stands not merely as a commendation, but as validation of a reform agenda that prioritises learning, equity, and future readiness.
•John Mayaki, Abuja.
