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Adults in Abia State who missed out on early schooling are being offered a faster route to basic education, after the state government approved a condensed programme that reduces six years of primary learning to three.
The initiative targets residents who never completed foundational education and now need a pathway to obtain their first school-leaving certificate, a qualification that remains a barrier to employment and further study for many. The programme is already underway.
Officials say it is being delivered through the Abia State Agency for Mass Literacy Adult and Non Formal Education, which oversees adult learning and alternative education systems across the state. The goal is to widen access while compressing timelines for those unable to follow the conventional school structure.
“This programme makes it possible for all such people to take advantage,” Information Commissioner Okey Kanu said after a state executive council meeting in Umuahia.
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He framed the reform as both corrective and pragmatic.
Large numbers of adults, he said, had been excluded from formal education earlier in life, often due to economic or social pressures. The accelerated model is designed to close that gap without requiring them to return to a full six-year cycle.
“the Abia State Accelerated Basic Education Programme that is aimed at running the six years primary school curriculum in three years has commenced. Abians and residents who could not conclude their basic education should take advantage of this opportunity to sit for and obtain their first school-leaving certificate in the State”.
The announcement came alongside a broader update on state programmes spanning health, education and workforce development, following a cabinet session chaired by Governor Alex Otti.
Education reforms are being paired with recruitment.
Kanu said results from oral interviews for the second batch of teacher applicants are being compiled after an earlier computer-based test, with successful candidates to be notified once the process is complete. The state is hiring an additional 4,000 teachers, part of an effort to strengthen classroom capacity as enrolment expands.
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More than 7,000 applicants scored above the minimum benchmark in the test, he said, adding that the exercise would remain merit-based.
“In line with the standards of the transparent process and the fairness of the recruitment process in the state, everybody will be given a fair chance based on his/her performance”.
While education featured prominently, officials also highlighted developments in the health sector.
Abia has been selected to receive funding under a $250 million World Bank health security programme, a move the government linked to ongoing reforms and improved disease monitoring. Authorities said no major outbreaks of illnesses such as Lassa fever, cholera or yellow fever had been recorded during the review period.
The funding is expected to support preparedness and response systems.
At the same time, residents are being encouraged to access free medical services through an upcoming outreach led by the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas.
The mission is scheduled to begin with an opening event at the Michael Okpara Auditorium in Umuahia, followed by clinical activities across multiple sites. Officials said the programme would deliver at least 1,500 consultations and 100 specialised surgeries.
Services will be spread across key facilities.
General consultations and surgeries are to take place at Aba General Hospital, while eye care will be handled at the Abia Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre in Umuahia. Reproductive and sexual health services are planned for the Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic.
State Health Commissioner Enoch Uche described the initiative as a rare opportunity for residents to access advanced care without leaving the country.
“ instead of people having to travel to America, they will just travel from their locations across Abia State and go to Aba or Umuahia to get these free Medicare services during this period”.
He said the programme would go beyond treatment.
In addition to patient care, the visiting team is expected to work with local health professionals to build capacity, sharing expertise that could strengthen the state’s healthcare system over the longer term.
Officials also pointed to targeted interventions aimed at reducing maternal deaths.
The state has adopted the Rural Emergency Services and Maternal Transport Programme under the Maternal Mortality Initiative in three local government areas identified as high-risk, Bende, Obingwa and Ukwa East. The scheme focuses on improving access to emergency care, particularly for pregnant women and newborns.
Taken together, the announcements reflect a broader push to expand access to essential services.
From accelerated education to health outreach and recruitment, the state government is attempting to address longstanding gaps while building systems that can support a growing population.
