Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has said that improving the poor state of education in Rivers State is a top priority of his administration, announcing that the sector will receive the largest allocation in the 2026 budget.

Governor Fubara disclosed on Monday, while declaring open the 123/124 combined quarterly meeting of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers in Port Harcourt.

He admitted that many schools across the state are in bad shape, but stressed that the decay did not happen overnight.

According to him, the deterioration predated his government and was one of the major issues used by opponents during the 2023 election campaigns.

The governor said his team is working strategically to reverse the decline, noting that his background in public administration guides his approach to planning and reform.

On healthcare, the governor pointed to the ongoing upgrade of zonal hospitals and other interventions in the healthcare workers’ welfare as evidence of improved service delivery in the sector.

Speaking on employment, Governor Fubara said the government remains committed to creating jobs but insisted that recruitment, including the anticipated 10,000 openings, will be based on the needs of the state.

He assured that the exercise will not be politicised.

Monday’s meeting, which was the 3rd and 4th combined session of the year and the fourth since he assumed office, also provided an opportunity for Governor Fubara to commend traditional rulers for their role in resolving the political impasse that once threatened stability in the state.

He said their intervention helped maintain peace in their domains, contributing to the largely calm atmosphere currently enjoyed.

Governor Fubara’s remarks on the state of education come in the wake of a viral video that circulated on Monday morning, in which the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, criticised the government’s handling of the sector.

In the video, the Speaker complained about the alleged neglect of basic school infrastructure and long-standing issues affecting teaching and learning across the state.