Rivers State House of Assembly Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, has launched a strong attack on Governor Siminialayi Fubara over the worsening condition of public schools across the state.

Amaewhule told lawmakers that primary and secondary schools were in deplorable shape, blaming what he called the executive’s abandonment of the education sector.

He cited a recent oversight visit where a single teacher was found teaching two classes simultaneously in the same classroom, describing the situation as unacceptable for a state like Rivers.

The Speaker added that many schools lacked basic facilities such as toilets, electricity, and security, with vandals taking over some buildings despite their proximity to major government institutions.

According to him, the Assembly had repeatedly raised concerns and passed resolutions, yet the executive arm led by Governor Fubara had failed to take corrective action.

Amaewhule also criticized the government for failing to employ new teachers, despite a recruitment exercise initiated by the last administration and growing complaints from parents.

He argued that the sorry state of the schools could not be attributed to a lack of funds, claiming that the former Sole Administrator, Rear Admiral Ibok Ibas, left over N600 billion in the state’s accounts.

The Speaker said the Assembly would no longer remain silent while schoolchildren learn under unsafe and humiliating conditions, insisting that lawmakers must act in the interest of the public.

He described reports of children studying in dilapidated classrooms, including those with weed growing through the roofs, as evidence of deep neglect that required urgent intervention.

Governor Fubara, however, responded by saying the decay did not begin under his administration and promised that education would receive the highest allocation in the 2026 budget.