Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, is hosting the 85th Plenary Meeting of the Joint Consultative Committee on Education (JCCE), bringing together education stakeholders from across Nigeria to deliberate on key issues affecting the sector.
The four-day meeting, which began on Tuesday, October 6, and ends on Friday, October 9, 2026, is being held at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt, under the theme, “Infrastructural Development and Teacher Motivation: Panacea for Improved Learning Outcomes.”
Declaring the plenary open on Wednesday, Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, described education as a fundamental driver of national transformation and socio-economic development.
The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Dr Peters Nwagor, welcomed delegates from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, and thanked the Federal Ministry of Education for selecting Rivers State to host the national gathering.
Fubara described the JCCE as a key technical and advisory platform for shaping education policies in Nigeria, noting that the decisions and recommendations emerging from the meeting could have significant implications for teaching and learning nationwide.
He said the theme of the plenary was particularly relevant, stressing that meaningful improvements in learning outcomes would require both adequate educational infrastructure and a motivated teaching workforce.
According to the governor, poor learning environments and inadequate support for teachers could undermine efforts to improve the quality of education.
He said his administration, under the “Rivers First” agenda, had continued to prioritise human capital development, including investment in school infrastructure, rehabilitation of educational facilities and the creation of more conducive learning environments.
Fubara urged participants to approach the deliberations with practical and implementable recommendations capable of addressing the challenges confronting Nigeria’s education sector.
He also challenged the delegates to ensure that resolutions reached at the meeting resulted in tangible improvements in the experiences of teachers, pupils and students across the country.
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The governor encouraged the delegates to use the opportunity of their visit to explore Rivers State and experience the hospitality and cultural heritage of its people, describing Port Harcourt as a city known for its resilience, enterprise and hospitality.
Earlier, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr Folake Olatunji-David, welcomed participants to the 85th JCCE Plenary and described the meeting as an important avenue for stakeholders to assess and address critical issues affecting education delivery in Nigeria.
Olatunji-David conveyed the goodwill of the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Olatunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, to the Rivers State Government and its people for hosting the event.
She commended Governor Fubara, the state government, the Commissioner for Education, permanent secretaries, education secretaries, heads of education agencies and other stakeholders for their participation.
The federal official also acknowledged the support provided by the Ministry of Education during the virtual meetings of the 2026 JCCE Reference Committees, noting that the sessions had laid the groundwork for the discussions at the plenary.
In her goodwill message, the Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Education, Dr Mina Tele Ikuru, said the state government was implementing various programmes and making investments aimed at improving teachers’ welfare and strengthening the quality of education.
Ikuru noted that better support for teachers would contribute to improved learning outcomes and positively affect the academic development of students.
She said the decision to host the 85th JCCE Plenary was an indication of the progress recorded by Rivers State in the education sector and an opportunity to showcase initiatives and achievements that could provide useful lessons for other states.
The permanent secretary urged delegates to participate actively in the plenary sessions and make the most of their time in Rivers State by experiencing its hospitality, culture and other attractions.
The meeting is expected to produce recommendations aimed at strengthening education policy, improving learning conditions and addressing some of the challenges confronting teachers and learners across the country.
