Oyetola: Govt is Committed to Transforming Osun Education

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

The Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transform the state education sector. This, he said is necessary to ensure that every child has access to quality and affordable education.

The governor stressed that children are the hope and channel for achieving goals of a better future, saying that it is an offence for parents not to allow their children go to school.

He said the government is leading other stakeholders to achieve its goal of using education as a tool for delivering prosperity and development to the people.

Oyetola spoke while inaugurating some projects at Telemu Comprehensive Middle High School and Morinu Community Elementary School in Ola-Oluwa and Iwo Local Government Areas of the state.

He also unveiled ‘Ileri-Oluwa Fulfilling Promises Educational Programme’, a “redesigned and repacked approach to schools’ infrastructural renewal, intended to reach every nook and cranny of the state within available human and material resources.”

He said his administration’s resolve to invest in education was aimed at achieving the objectives of delivering a better life for the people and driving development in the state, adding that efforts had been made by the administration to maintain and sustain the existing schools; build and equip more schools; renovate dilapidated ones and provide well-trained teachers to teach the pupils and ensure that pupils attend schools punctually and regularly.

The governor appealed to parents to ensure that their children are registered in school, attend school regularly and are well-behaved, saying, “there must be a synergy between the government, parents and teachers for the state to achieve its desired goals of making education the bedrock of development.”

While stating that the state has the potential to lead the nation in internal and external examinations, he appealed to all teachers to ensure that students’ performance in junior and senior school certificate exams improve significantly. He also urged the benefitting communities to ensure that the facilities are put to judicious use.

Unveiling the ‘Ileri-Oluwa Fulfilling Promises Educational Programme’ in Iwo, Oyetola maintained that the initiative will put governance on auto-pilot and make sustainable development attainable.

Among the projects inaugurated were six newly-constructed classrooms; four blocks of three classrooms each; a deep well; and a perimeter fence round the school.

He said the government is resolute to complement the initiative by building the capacity of pupils, teachers and other staff through training and re-training, as well as improving their welfare for optimum performance.

“These projects are a further fulfilment of our promise to provide quality, functional, affordable and equitable education for all as a way of achieving our goals of delivering a better life for the people and driving development in the state.

“Our children are our hope and channel for achieving these goals and positioning our state and nation to compete with other nations of the world.

“Our administration is committed to ensuring that our children get good education, this is the reason we are striving to build schools, equip them, renovate dilapidated projects, provide well-trained teachers to teach the pupils and ensure that pupils attend schools punctually and regularly.

“We established Ileri Oluwa Fulfilling Promises Educational Programme to transform the education profile of the state.

“We adopted a consolidated approach whose key elements are rebuilding, remodelling and total rehabilitation of existing school buildings and construction of new blocks of classrooms in series four classrooms, five classrooms, six classrooms, eight classrooms, 10, 15 and 20 classrooms at a maximum of 50 pupils/students per class, to cater for communities at 200, 250, 300, 400, 500, 750 pupils per school.

“This intervention will further substantially improve the state and profile of education in the state and nudge it to the frontline among educationally performing states in the nation.

“We also founded the Osun Edu Marshals to ensure discipline and regular attendance by pupils.

“For us to achieve our desired goals, we require the cooperation of parents and teachers.

The Head of Service and Chairman, State Education Steering Committee, Dr. Olowogboyega Oyebade, said the projects are an indication that the current administration will not abandon the good works of the previous administration, but will improve on them and even initiate more.

He said the administration has been performing well in the education sector, particularly vocational and technical education.

Also speaking, the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba AbdulRasheed Akanbi, expressed satisfaction with the administration’s strides so far in education and other sectors and admonished parents to stop sending their school age children to hawk wares during school hours.

On his part, the Olowu of Telemu, Oba Madojutola Ajiboye thanked the government for priorising education in the state.

The Principal, Comprehensive Government Middle High School, Telemu, Mr. Adelanwa Ademuyiwa commended the government for addressing some of the challenges in the education sector.