The history of Anambra State Secondary Education Management Board (SEMB) dates back retrospectively to the history of colonial Education in the Eastern region of Nigeria. During that period Secondary Schools were few and far between and most of them were owned and managed by the Missions. The colonial masters were the inspectors and supervisors of the Schools. With the outbreak of the Nigeria civil war between 1967 and 1970, Nigeria was divided into 12 State structures The Management of Secondary Schools in the then East Central Stale came under the purview of the Stale School Board with the ’ Headquarters located in Enugu. Or OffiaNwali who was the Sole Administrator of the State School Board in the 1970’s was of the most visible and outstanding Executive Heads With the creation of Imo State in 1976, the Headquarters of the Secondary Education Management Board moved to the State Capital Owerri with offices at the zones which included Umuahia.
The Imo State Secondary Education Management Board was established with an Edict otherwise known as Edict No. 32 of 1989. The said Edict had its root from the East Central State. Public Education Edict No. 25 of 1974. This Edict which was a novel idea then transferred the Management of all Primary and Post Primary Schools from the voluntary agencies and private proprietors to the East Central State Schools Board and the Divisional School Boards established under the Edict for the Management of personnel in the State School System. The Teachers’ Service Commission and Edict No. 26 of 1974 and the Teachers' Disciplinary Council Edict No. 27 of 1974 were also made establishing the Teachers Service Commission and the East Central Stale Teachers Disciplinary Council These bodies were carried over to Imo Stale with the creation in 1976. Thus, there were the Imo State School Management Board, the Imo State Teachers Service Commission and the Imo State Teachers’ Disciplinary Council, all operating and drawing their power from the established East Central Stave Edict No. 25 and 27 of 1974 respectively.
These Edicts underwent several metamorphoses culminating in the said Imo State Secondary Education Management Board Edict, 1988 which was in obedience to the Federal Government directives following the establishment of the National Primary Education Commission (NPEC) In 1988 - a directive that requires all Stales to establish separate Board for Primary and Secondary Schools respectively.
This Edict has since been amended In Imo Slate following the creation of Anambra State on 27thAugust. 1991 this Edict was carried over to the newly created Stale and the Anambra State Secondary Education Management Board was established still under the provisions of the Imo State Secondary Education Management Board Edict 1988.
Following the above development, the Anambra State House of Assembly enacted a law that regulates the Management of Schools in Anambra State.
As has been noted earlier, the Anambra State Secondary Education Management Board operated mutatis mutandis under the Imo State Secondary Education Management Board Edict, 1988. The functions of the Board as contained in section 6 of the said Edict include inter alia.
1a. Management of all Post-Primary Schools
b. Appointment of all cadre of staff in the Post-Primary institution excepting;
i. The Chief Executive of the Board
ii. Heads of Secondary Education Zonal Offices
c. Promoting of all cadres of staff in the Post-Primary School System except those mentioned in paragraph (b)(i) and (ii).
d. Establishment of conditions of service for the Post-Primary Schools System, subject to approval by the Commissioner for Education.
e. Payment of personnel emoluments to all staff of the Secondary Education Management Board.
f. Staff development
g. Overall disciplinary control of staff serving in the Secondary Education Management Board.
h. Posting and transfer of Principals and Vice Principals in Post-Primary Schools, subject to approval of the Commissioner for Education.
i. Posting and transfer of Non-Tutorial staff on Salary grade Level 7 and above.
j. Inter-Zonal transfer/posting of all staff on Salary grade Level 7 and above.
k. Preparation and recommendation to the Commissioner of the Budget of the Board.
l. Awarding of contract within the existing State tender Board regulations.
m. Delegating to the Secondary Education Zonal Offices such functions as the Board may deem fit provided that the Board may assume at any time the exercise of any functions so delegated.
n. Placement and transfer of students in Post-Primary School owned by the State Government, subject to the regulations laid by the State Ministry of Education.
o. The Board shall maintain the nominal roll of staff in the various zones and keep personal files of all staff.
SEMB