ENUGU — ABOUT 140 school principals have been appointed in Enugu State to handle the newly introduced Junior Secondary School programme of the  Universal Basic Education (UBE) in various post-primary schools in the state.

The Chairman of the state Post-Primary School Management Board (PPSMB), Prince Alex Akpa, who disclosed this at a two-day conference organized by the  board for both the old and new school principals appointed from existing secondary schools in Enugu at the weekend, said the state was fully prepared for the  implementation of the new secondary school programme.

 According to him, the appointment of the principals underscored the determination of the state government to implement the new programme without hitches,  explaining that the newly appointed principals would be in-charge of the Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) while the old ones will now handle the Senior Secondary  Schools (SSS).

He said that schools that are yet to be de-merged as required by the UBE for the implementation of the scheme, would soon be affected, and charged the new  principals to put in their best towards realizing the objectives of the programme.

“You are expected to be abreast of what is expected in the schools and it is our intention to close the gaps. To this end, we have appointed the best and it is our  earnest prayer that you will live up to expectation,” Akpa told the principals, saying their appointment was not selective. He said that the government was determined  to ensure the success of the UBE, which he said, is a nine-year programme with a view to producing students who can pass external examinations.

In his speech, the Commissioner for Education, Dr Martin Chukwunweike, tasked the school heads to ensure that high educational standard needed in the state was  attained.