Highlights of Back-to-School Rally Organised By Edo State Universally Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Across the State

On Friday, 6th September, 2019, back to school rally was organised by Edo SUBEB across the 18 local government areas of Edo State to sensitize parents and guardians on government's preparedness, and teachers readiness to receive pupils (both new and old) and also begin teaching on the very first day of resumption.

 Below are reports from different local government areas:

 *OVIA SOUTH WEST*
Participants took off from Benin and arrived IGUOBAZUWA, the council headquarter between 8am to 9am for the rally. Four major routes were covered in Ovia LGA. These routes include; the IGUOBAZUWA route, the USEN route, UGBOGUI route and UDO route.
Men and materials were deployed to cover these four major routes.
Materials made available were banners,  megaphones, vehicles, batteries etc. The following teams honoured the rally invitation: the LGEA's AgSecretary, LGEA's staff which include; the L&D Supervisors, QAOs, SMOs etc. SUBEB and EdoBEST teams were also on ground to support the LGA in the rally.

*EGOR*
First point of call was the office of Egor LG chairman, Hon. Eghe Ogbemudia who expressed her joy and commended subeb for organising  the back to school rally. She supported with a token to serve as participants transport fares back to their respective houses. Teachers, SBMC members, Education secretary, the LGEA accountant, HOS, field officers and a few other LGEA staff proceeded to the streets with placards of different inscriptions stating the need for pupils to go back to school.
Routes covered were Uselu market, Uselu Lagos rd, five junction, wire rd, down to kingsquare where all other LG participants and SUBEB staff were on ground for the final sensitisation with pressmen fully on ground.

 *Owan East.*
The rally team visited  the three axis of the local government. The zeal of field officers and LGEA staff was seen in their mass turn out.

*OWAN WEST*
Rally started at about 10am with QAO,LDOs,SMOs,Education secretary,council chairman and secretary. When the rally team got to the market square, they were addressed by the council secretary who admonished the market women to send their children and wards to school on Monday. The team later moved to the palace to plead with the traditional ruler to help tell indigenes through town criers about school resumption and how important it was to for them to bring their children and wards to school.

*ESAN NORTH EAST*
The rally kick started at Taxona junction at about 10am. HOS, LDOs, SMOs, SBMC members, teachers, AG Education Sectary, members of the LGA and a SUBEB representative were on ground. Participants went round the town of Uromi with a DJ and were taking turns in speaking about resumption and Edo-Best as a whole. They stopped at strategic places like busy junction and market square to speak about TaRL.

*ESAN SOUTH EAST*
As at 7:30am,prticipants were already gathered at the take-off venue: Central primary school Ubiaja.
Present at the rally were:the Educational Secretary,representatives from SUBEB,the HPM,HOS,of various departments like SMO,QAO,and LDO as well as the field officers like the SMO's and LDO's.
Also present were teachers, SBMC from Ewatto,Ubiaja,Ewohimi and Okhodua,who had the highest turnout of participants for the back to school rally.
The SBMC's came by buses and arrived UBIAJA on time.
When the rally finally kicked -off, participants marched round the entire town of UBIAJA with D.J who gave melodious musical tunes while the field officers blew the trumpet of back to school, using the D.J's microphone and heavy loud speakers to make announcement.
Others present at the rally,carried various placards with various inscriptions, with emphasis on ensuring quality basic education and promising school resumption for every child.
As at the time participants arrived the Esan South East LG council ,they  were received by both chairman and the vice chairman.
The Subeb representative thanked the council boss for his support in the education sector.

 *OVIA NORTH EAST*
It all started with the rally's meeting/ takeoff point which was at Eresonyen primary school, oluku, with a reasonable turn out of HMs, teachers, sbmc members, Lgea's staff, LGA, parents, LDOs, QAs, SMOs, Hos and Education Sectary(ES) and a SUBEB representative. Banners and placards were made available by the LGA council chaiman, Hon Scott Ogbemudia.
At about 10am, the ES addressed everyone present on the need to put in their best and photographs were taken to mark the beginning of the rally before participants went round  Oluku, Nitel and Idunmwowinna axis with a Bridgade band . SMOs spoke on the talking points which included;
▪Say_no_to_Child_labour
▪Say_no_to_child_defilement
▪Say_no_to_child_hawking during school hours
▪Say_no_to_corporal_punishment
▪School_is_free
Say_no_to_street_begging
▪Say_no_to_child_abuse
To mention but a few.

 Other groups later took turns as they stopped at calculated street points, filling stations and markets to enlighten parents and guidance on the essence of the back to school rally.

 *IKPOBA OKHA*
At about 9am, Ikpoba Okha teachers gathered at Ivbiye Neva primary school, venue for the take of point. Also in ground were representatives of SUBEB whose presence were already visible as early as 7:30am.
THE HOS, SMO, L&D, SMBC, LGEA workers  and secretary were also in attendance. The turnout was massive and impressive. Among the trateguc points visited were tricycle park along Saint Saviour Rd, Edo Street junction and Niger College junction. Others include Third junction, Second junction and  Osa market. There were banners of different inscriptions, messages were passed across to members of the public in English, pidgin and Edo languages. There was also time for questions and answers.
The rally was indeed a huge success as parents were happy and promised to  bring  their wards to school.

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This is the second back to school rally organised by Edo SUBEB since the inception of EdoBest in April, 2018.