In this period, the defunct Okpebho Local Government Area got attention with the establishment of 32 secondary  schools and Emaudo secondary school,Ekpoma was one of them and they commenced admission of students in 1980 with the first set graduating in 1985 under the able leadership of Messrs Ikekhua and Ehimare as Principal and Vice Principal respectively.It is worthy of note that a school that was established as third-grade school in 1980 grew to become a first-grade secondary school by the end of 1986, placing her as one of the best secondary schools in science and arts subjects in the defunct Bendel state(now Edo/Delta),Nigeria for more many years.

It must be stressed, however that the rationale for the establishment of day secondary schools was the need to place pupils in the secondary schools nearest to their homes, so that while prof. Alli’s government makes a significant cut-back on student housing provision, enough ground is created for the release of resources to develop learning facilities and programmes and for pupils to socialize simultaneously in both school and within their domestic environment.

The financial generosity of Professor Alli’s administration to the course of education in the state was enormous and it is not unrelated to one of  his famous quotes“When you educate a child, you educate a nation. When you educate the body and mind you have an effective instrument for social and economic development. Education is the platform for progress. It is the foundation of life itself”