Across Delta State’s public primary schools, a quiet but far reaching transformation is taking shape, but at the centre of this is Hon. Samuel Oghenevwogaga Mariere, Executive Chairman of the Delta State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), whose administration has combined infrastructure renewal, teacher development, digital learning, inclusion and community engagement in an effort to restore confidence in basic education.
Since assuming office, Hon. Mariere, an accomplished lawyer and reputable farmer of no mere repute, has presented SUBEB not merely as a procurement and administrative agency, but as a driver of learning outcomes. His reform agenda aligns with Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s MORE Agenda and the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, with emphasis on classrooms, teachers, learners and accountability.
A Reform Agenda Built on Access:
One of the most visible areas of intervention has been school infrastructure. Under Mariere’s leadership, SUBEB committed N7.1 billion to more than 200 approved projects across public primary schools, with the board reporting that about 90 per cent of the awarded projects had been completed. The projects include new classrooms, renovated buildings, furniture, toilets, water facilities, perimeter fencing and staff quarters.
Reports available to Southernvoicenews.com, indicate that 234 new classrooms were constructed and 162 through SUBEB’s 2024 UBE Intervention Fund and 72 by the state government while 491 existing classrooms were repaired and restored for use.
These interventions matter because overcrowded, dilapidated classrooms discourage enrolment and undermine teaching. By expanding classroom space and rehabilitating neglected facilities, SUBEB is seeking to create safer, more dignified learning environments in both urban and rural communities.
Furniture, Water and Safer Schools:
Basic education reform often succeeds or fails in details that rarely make headlines: a functional toilet, clean water, a secure fence, a usable desk. Mariere’s SUBEB has placed these essentials at the heart of its programme. The board reported the construction of 164 VIP toilets, installation of five solar-powered boreholes, construction of 22 perimeter walls and gatehouses, and renovation of five others. It also delivered 16,834 units of furniture, maintained another 4,000 units, and provided boarding support materials including double-bunk beds and mattresses.
For learners, especially girls, access to clean toilets and safe water can directly affect attendance, health and confidence. Mariere has repeatedly linked such facilities to a clean, safe school environment, noting that water supply helps protect pupils and teachers from waterborne diseases.
Teachers at the Centre:
Mariere’s reforms have also focused on the people who deliver daily instruction. SUBEB trained 5,511 teachers across the state, covering digital literacy, pedagogy, leadership, inclusive education, classroom management and child-centred learning. The training programmes include School-Based Training, Head Teacher Leadership, Jolly Phonics, needs assessments, STEP and SMASE initiatives. The objective is to move teachers beyond routine lesson delivery towards more engaging, inclusive and outcome-driven classroom practice. Teacher welfare has also received attention. In 2026, Delta State approved career progression for graduate primary-school teachers from Grade Level 14 to Grade Level 17, a policy Mariere described as a way to encourage the recruitment and retention of graduate teachers and improve the quality of basic education.
Digital Learning and Inclusion:
Beyond bricks and mortar, Mariere’s SUBEB has pushed technology into classrooms.
The board deployed 1,843 tablets, 28 laptops, 13 desktop computers and 64 interactive boards, with particular attention to rural, riverine and hard-to-reach schools.
The Orogun Smart School in Ughelli North Local Government Area was equipped with smart boards, e-learning laboratories and multimedia resources to strengthen digital literacy. SUBEB has also distributed more than 160,000 textbooks, combining UBEC-supported supplies with state-funded provisions.
Again, inclusion has been another priority. The board supplied Braille materials, hearing devices and mobility aids for children with special needs, while training teachers in differentiated instruction to respond to diverse learning abilities.
Bringing Pupils Back to School:
Delta SUBEB has also confronted the problem of out-of-school children. The state reported that at least 2,000 out-of-school children were re-enrolled within a year through targeted outreach and support package initiated by Hon. Samuel Mariere as SUBEB chairman. In the same period, about 507,050 learners covering about 62 per cent of the enrolled population benefited from classrooms, learning materials, teacher support and welfare facilities. Mariere said the board also strengthened supervision and feedback systems in early grades to improve reading skills.
These measures suggest a shift from treating enrolment as a one-off campaign to building a continuous support system around vulnerable learners, particularly those in remote and underserved communities.
Accountability and Community Ownership:
Mariere has faced scrutiny over contract administration and school conditions, but he has repeatedly defended SUBEB’s processes, insisting on transparency, public scrutiny and independent audits. He stated that the board maintains zero tolerance for corruption in the management of basic education. He has also sought to make schools a shared responsibility by engaging traditional rulers, community leaders and local stakeholders, showing that SUBEB is encouraging communities to protect school property and support government policy implementation.
That approach became especially important after the board raised concerns over the destruction of about 90,000 school desks. Mariere said a needs assessment showed that while some schools genuinely lacked furniture, more than 30 per cent of existing desks had been damaged through misuse and community-induced destruction.
The Road Ahead:
Mariere’s SUBEB is not claiming that every challenge has been solved. Infrastructure gaps remain across many schools, and the board itself has acknowledged the need for continued investment in classrooms, furniture, security and teacher welfare.
Mariere direction of reform is very clear viz rebuild physical facilities, equip and motivate teachers, expand digital access, protect vulnerable learners and make communities partners in school protection. If this his initiative is sustained, these measures could help Delta State move basic education from mere access towards measurable improvement in learning outcomes.
For Mariere, the task is ultimately about restoring the value of public primary education—ensuring that a child in a riverine community, a rural village or an urban centre can learn in a safe classroom, with trained teachers, relevant materials and a system that takes their future seriously.
With the enormous achievements made so far, one wonders the height education will go, if people like Samuel Mariere, Esq. becomes Commissioner or Minister of Education in Delta state or Nigeria. To us in Southernvoicenews, we commend what is good and condemn what is bad. Hon. Mariere has made a mark in primary education.
Godwin-Maria Utuedoye, is a journalist, publisher and Anchor of Advocate Gang on Advocate TV. He writes from Ughelli