Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Education, Professor Ubong Essien Umoh, has declared open the 2025 Annual Conference of the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Akwa Ibom State Chapter, alongside Zonal Directors of Education in the state.
The event, with the theme “Re-engineering School Management Systems For Better Quality Education: The Role of Principals”, brought together secondary school principals from across the state, held at Green Minds Hotel, Uyo, on Thursday, September 11, 2025.
Declaring the conference open, Professor Umoh commended ANCOPSS for its commitment to professional excellence, noting that principals play a pivotal role in shaping the quality of education delivered to students. He emphasised the importance of effective school leadership, accountability, and innovation in managing educational institutions.
The Commissioner assured participants of the state governor, His Excellency Pastor (Dr.) Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda, which is focused on improving infrastructure, capacity building, and policy frameworks to empower school leaders and enhance learning outcomes.
He urged the principals to use the conference as an opportunity to exchange ideas, develop new strategies for school management, and reaffirm their commitment to nurturing a generation of disciplined, skilled, and productive citizens.
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“I implore you to imbibe all the professional skills and ethics at your disposal to ensure that the best possible outcomes are achieved in your various schools as we resume the 2025/2026 academic session,” he stated.
In her remarks, the Chairman of the State Secondary Education Board (SSEB), Rt. Hon. (Dr) Ekaete Ebong Okon described the training as “epoch-making”. She noted that it reflects a shift in mindset among educators who are now taking proactive steps to improve themselves professionally. Quoting John F. Kennedy’s words, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,” she observed that principals and directors have broken barriers by embracing self-development rather than waiting solely on government.
She also expressed appreciation to Governor Umo Eno for his huge investment in secondary education and for appointing Professor Umoh as Commissioner for Education, describing him as “a pragmatic educationist, a go-getter, and an academic of the highest repute whose tenure promises to impact the teaching profession with knowledge and best practices.”
Earlier, the State President of ANCOPSS, Mr. Steve Akpabio, KSM, JP, lauded the State Government for sustaining collaboration with school leaders through the Ministry of Education. He stressed that ANCOPSS remains committed to driving quality education through effective leadership in schools, in alignment with the Governor’s ARISE Agenda.
The professional training seminar featured a keynote presentation, paper sessions, discussions, and evaluations aimed at strengthening leadership in secondary education and improving standards of learning in schools.
The keynote address was delivered by Professor Enobong Joshua, while resource persons presented papers on critical topics, including:
1. Management of Government Property
2. Basic Administrative Procedures
3. Personnel Management
4. Teaching Ethics and Professionalism
5. Public Relations and Communication in Government
The event also featured goodwill messages and awards for outstanding contributions to educational advancement.
In attendance were the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Lady Rose N. Bassey, her State Secondary Education Board counterpart, Mr. Okon Tom, SSE Board Members, Directors of SSEB and other education stakeholders.
