ANAMBRA STATE SHINES AGAIN AS ONE OF HER SCHOOLS WINS “BEST SCHOOL” IN NIGERIA

Anambra State has made the news again for another enviable reason. In the spirit of the celebration of the 2025 World Teachers’ Day, one of her public schools – Woliwo Primary School II, Onitsha has been crowned Best School in Nigeria. This is a moment of great pride for Anambra State as it affirms the State’s rising status in education under the “Solution” Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo. While this achievement deserves individual praise for the teachers and students involved, it also underscores the major transformations that Governor Soludo has effected in the education system of the State.

THE BIG WIN

Woliowo Primary School II, a public primary school located in Onitsha, Anambra State has won the Best School in Nigeria at the President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Award to commemorate this year’s World Teachers Day.

This feat which comes with a Star prize of 16-seater brand new bus adds to a growing list of successes for schools across Anambra State, reinforcing why many are saying that Anambra State is now a benchmark for education in Nigeria.

WHAT THIS WINS MEANS FOR THE SCHOOL AND ANAMBRA STATE

Beyond the prestige and honour that come with winning “Best School in Nigeria”, there are other things this winning opens up for both Woliwo Primary School II and the State. They are:

• Motivation for pupils and teachers: This win, no doubt will boost morale as it proves that hard work, discipline, and support can lead to success.
• Validation of reforms: The results are tangible proof that the reforms championed by Soludo’s administration are making real impacts.

• Increased investment opportunities: With the recognition comes more attention from philanthropists, private sector partners, NGOs, and government bodies who may like to support the school.
• Inspiration for other schools: This win sets a model for school management, pedagogy, and infrastructure that other schools can aspire to emulate.

A HIGHLIGHT OF GOVERNOR SOLUDO’S IMPACTFUL REFORMS IN EDUCATION IN ANAMBRA STATE

One can rightly say that Woliwo Primary School II emerging the Best School in Nigeria did not happen by chance. It is a clear testament of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo’s intentional decision to prioritize education since taking office. Under his leadership, Anambra State has introduced a series of bold policies, investments, and structural reforms that have laid the groundwork for this kind of success.

Let’s take a look at some the key areas where Soludo has made a significant impact in the education sector:

1. Free Education from Nursery to Senior Secondary

One of Soludo’s signature education policies is providing free education in all public schools in Anambra State, from nursery up through Senior Secondary School. At first, the free education only covered nursery through Junior Secondary School, but the policy has since been extended to include senior secondary levels. https://anambrastate.gov.ng/soludos-education-reforms

This policy removes a major financial barrier for many parents, especially in poor households, making education accessible to more children. Soludo has often spoken about this as a way to break the transfer of generational poverty in many families. When parents do not have to worry about fees, uniforms, and other hidden costs, it encourages more children to enroll and stay in school.

2. Massive Recruitment of Qualified Teachers

Under Soludo, Anambra State has recruited thousands of teachers. According to available information from official sources:

• Over 8,000 teachers have been employed across the state.
• These recruitments were done with careful selection through written tests, oral, and computer-based exams in order to ensure the quality of teachers engaged.
• Teacher-student ratios have improved substantially. In secondary schools, it is about 24 students per teacher, in primary schools, it is around 21 pupils per teacher, and significantly lower in early childhood centres.

Better teacher ratios mean more attention to individual students/pupils, better classroom management, and improved learning outcomes.

3. Upgrading Infrastructure & Smart Schools

Soludo’s administration has invested in school infrastructure in ways that address both decades of neglect and future-oriented needs in the following areas:

• Smart schools: Several secondary schools are being converted into smart schools, with modern facilities, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) equipment, and ICT infrastructure.
• Laboratories: About sixty secondary school laboratories have been equipped with STEM-related equipment.
• Renovation and reconstruction: Schools with damaged buildings or poor facilities have been renovated; special education centres have been upgraded; multi-storey buildings have been built where they are needed.

These upgrades have helped to create learning environments that are safe, stimulating, and suited to modern educational demands. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/04/soludos-solutions-in-anambra

4. Raising Standards & Curricular Innovation

Improved infrastructure and teacher numbers are only part of the story. Soludo has also pushed for higher academic standards and curricular innovations. The free education policy is backed by measures to ensure quality—recruitment on merit, monitoring, inspections. Curricular areas like entrepreneurship, ethics, AI and robotics have been introduced in schools to prepare students for a changing world. Subjects like History were re-introduced in some basic education examinations, and life-skills are being emphasized in addition to exam-oriented content.

5. Enhancing Accessibility & Equity

Soludo has made education in Anambra State more accessible and equitable, especially for those who previously could not attend school due to cost or location through the free, compulsory education policy means no child in public school from nursery to senior secondary should pay tuition or other fees. The government is also working to ensure that there are public schools in communities that previously had none. For example, about 77 communities without public schools are set to have them. There are also policies to support mission schools, helping moderate their fees, especially since many parents use both public and mission or private schools.

6. Ongoing Monitoring, Budgetary Support, and Legislative Backing

Policies require both enforcement and funds. In Anambra State, the operational budgets for primary and secondary schools have been increased to support these reforms. The state legislature has passed resolutions to support free education up to senior secondary level. The administration has declared a “state of emergency” in the education sector, meaning urgent attention to teacher shortages, infrastructure decay, and quality issues.’

FROM POLICY TO PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE OF IMPROVEMENT ANAMBRA EDUCATION SECTOR

These reforms highlighted above have started yielding results. This helps to explain how an Anambra State school could win the “Best School in Nigeria”, among many other schools in the country. Apart from the Woliwo Primary School II win, there are other proofs that reforms are working:

• National awards for teachers and schools: Teachers from Anambra have won major national awards for excellence. For example, Joseph Nwosu of Government Technical College, Osamala, Ogbaru LGA was named Overall Best Teacher in Nigeria in the 2024 President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Awards.
• Excellent school rankings: Holy Child Secondary School, Isuofia, won the 2nd Best Secondary School position nationwide, reinforcing the notion of excellence across more than one school.
• Increased enrollment: Because of free education and better facilities, more parents are enrolling their children in public schools. While exact numbers differ by school and local government, state-wide figures show a rise in public school enrolment.
• Lower out-of-school children: With policies making school mandatory and removing fees, fewer children are being left out of basic education.

THE ROLE OF FOCUS-DRIVEN LEADERSHIP

It is clear that the Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo has not treated education as just one of many items on the agenda. He has made it central to his vision for Anambra State. Some of the leadership demonstrations that have driven success in the sector are:

• Academic background: As a professor and economist, Soludo understands the long-term value of strong education systems. He often emphasizes education as the “cornerstone of progress.”
• Commitment of resources: Soludo has not just announced policies; he has ensured funding, recruitment of quality teachers, solid infrastructure, and provision of logistics.
• Bold policy moves: Declarations like “state of emergency” in education, extension of free education to senior secondary, introduction of smart schools, etc., show readiness to act decisively.
• Public-Private and community engagement: Where possible, the government is engaging patrons, communities, private schools, parents to collaborate in upgrading schools, monitoring standards and making sure reforms benefit from community buy-in.

CHALLENGES AND WHAT STILL NEEDS ATTENTION

While the progress recorded in the education sector under Soludo has been impressive, there are still some challenges. Recognizing and addressing these challenges will ensure that Anambra State remains among the top performers in Nigeria’s education sector. To address these challenges, there is need for:

• Sustainability: Free education and large teacher recruitments cost money. The State must sustain the funding, avoid delays in paying salaries, and maintain infrastructure to avoid decay.
• Recruiting many teachers is good, but maintaining high standards, ongoing teacher training, evaluation, and motivation will be crucial.
• Infrastructure in Remote Areas: While many schools have been upgraded, some rural or remote communities may still lack basic facilities such as classrooms, laboratories, electricity, internet. Bridging the urban–rural gap remains important.
• Monitoring Outcomes: High test scores and awards are important, but monitoring broader outcomes, e.g. critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, moral development, socio-economic outcomes will paint a fuller picture of success.

THE FUTURE OF ANAMBRA STATE

Given these reforms and the latest emergence of Woliwo Primary School II as Best School in Nigeria, several implications follow for the future of education and for Anambra State in general:

1. It places the State as a model for other States: Anambra State’s system under Soludo can be replicated elsewhere. The free-education model, smart schools, teacher recruitment on merit, and community involvement can serve as templates.
2. It offers room for human capital boost: Better education outcomes mean better prepared students. This, in turn becomes human capital that can feed into higher education, vocational paths, and the labor market. Over time this should reduce unemployment, poverty, and improve economic development.
3. It opens the State up to investors: A strong education system attracts businesses and investors who want educated workers, reliable infrastructure, and stable communities. As Anambra builds its reputation, this could bring more private sector investment in schools, technology, and even R&D.
4. It promotes social equity: By removing costs and making quality education accessible, Soludo’s policies promote fairness. Children from poor backgrounds now have pathways to succeed. This helps reduce inequality and social tensions.
5. It fosters a strengthened governance and community trust: When people see positive change in their children’s schooling, in schools’ conditions, and in teacher availability, it builds confidence in government. That makes it easier to implement further reforms in education, health, infrastructure, and beyond.

HOW THE WOLIWO SCHOOL WIN REFLECTS SOLUDO’S “SOLUTION AGENDA”

Soludo’s political platform and administration in Anambra State are often described in terms of a “Solution Agenda” which simply refers to a set of interconnected reforms to solve longstanding problems in infrastructure, human development, and governance. The education reform agenda is one of the pillars of that solution strategy.

Winning the Best School in Nigeria is not just about Woliwo school, it is a reflection of the accumulation of multiple solution-oriented actions by the Governor in these aspects:

• Providing access through free education
• Ensuring sufficient, qualified teachers
• Improving school facilities and learning environments
• Holding up high standards and rewarding excellence
• Involving the community and supporting mission & private school systems where needed.

PEOPLE’S TESTIMONIALS

Parents have expressed relief that they no longer have to pay fees for public schools, uniforms, and other burdens for children in the nursery to senior secondary levels. Teachers feel more supported as more of them are employed, their work environments are improving, they see the State rewarding good performance and providing work tools to teach better. Students are more engaged with better facilities and more opportunities for extra-curricular and inter-school competitions.

EXPERT OPINION

Education experts note that policies like those implemented in Anambra under Soludo often require years to show up fully in measurable gains e.g. overall test scores, national rankings. But the early signals manifesting in awards, better teacher ratios, infrastructure improvements suggest that Anambra is on track.

Critics sometimes warn about risks of over-dependence on government funding, but so far, Soludo’s administration has shown prudence in budgeting, prioritizing education among other sectors while also balancing other needs.

THE SYMBOLISM OF THE WOLIWO WIN

The title “Best School in Nigeria” for Woliwo Primary School II in Anambra State is more than just an award plaque. It is a symbol of what is possible when government, teachers, students/pupils, and community align around education. It is a progress marker, showing that the policies Soludo put in place are producing results. It is a good motivation for other schools in Anambra State to raise their own standards, because success by one is inspiration for many.

IN CONCLUSION

Anambra State under Governor Prof. Charles Soludo has turned the spotlight on education. Through free education up to senior secondary, massive recruitment of teachers, infrastructure upgrades, curricular innovation, and legislative support, Soludo has laid a strong foundation upon which success stories like the “Best School in Nigeria” victory can thrive.

For the parents, students/pupils, and educators in Anambra State, this Woliowo school win is sweet justice that validates years of work, investment, and faith. And for the rest of Nigeria, it signals that with vision, commitment, and accountability, education systems can be transformed.

As Soludo continues in office, the key will be to maintain momentum. To keep investing in quality. To widen the reach to the most remote areas. To ensure sustainability. And to ensure that more schools win national recognition. If this progress continues, it won’t be long before Anambra State becomes synonymous not just with “benchmarks in education,” but with educational excellence that can be taken for granted.

https://nnewicity.com/governor-soludo-honoured-in-new-york-with-triple-awards-at-global-power-forum-2025/