The Akwa Ibom State Government has dismissed what it described as a malicious report in one of the local tabloids with the banner headline, “AKSG abolishes Free and compulsory education policy”.

“We wish to inform the good people of Akwa Ibom State that the report is false, ill-motivated and should be dismissed by the public as a desperate attempt by people who think they can win you over through lies and satanic propaganda,” Ekerete Udoh, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Udom Emmanuel, said.

He explained in a statement issued Wednesday in Uyo, the state capital, “The 2016 Budget that His Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel, presented to the State House of Assembly on Wednesday, December 23, 2015, made it explicit that education remains free and compulsory in Akwa Ibom State and went further to state thus, “In order to consolidate on our widely – acclaimed gains in this sector, we will continue to provide the basic facilities like libraries, science laboratories, instructional materials, workshop equipment etc. for distribution to our school children in public school system.

“ “Renovation and construction of more classroom and academic blocks, securing full accreditation of academic programmes, ensuring effective and efficient capacity building, recruitment of teachers, payment of bursary and scholarship to our students and providing boarding facilities to ensure a controlled and disciplined learning environment will be a continuous affair.”

“Governor Udom Emmanuel remains committed to the full implementation of the policy of free and compulsory education in Akwa Ibom State, and it is very sad and unfortunate that the opposition will push out such a malicious and false article to confuse the good people of Akwa Ibom State.”

•Photo shows Governor Udom Emmanuel.