THE Oyo State Education Trust Fund (OYO ETF), has been described as the effective and viable solution to the malaise of the education sector in the state as it utilises a holistic measure to solve the problem of education and is not limited in scope like other bodies with similar assignments.
The Chairman of the Oyo ETF, Chief Onikepo Akande made this revelation during a ministerial briefing aimed at shedding light on the activities of the establishment and solicits the cooperation of every individual in moving the education sector forward on Thursday at the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism.
Chief Akande stated that it is an open secret that the state of education today is appalling, adding that, “what we have as education in Oyo State is a total departure from what it used to be and in order to restore education to what it used to be and to also take it further to be able to compete with what is obtainable globally an urgent step is necessary to be taken.”
According to her, the urgent step taken by the state government gave birth to the OYO ETF on July 10, 2017, which is an education trust fund with the objective of pooling funds together from governmental, corporate bodies individual and interested philanthropists to assist the state with the financing of education for improved service delivery.
The OYO EFT she explained has a wider scope and is established by law unlike other bodies with relevant assignments which though guided by regulations have a special focus on particular areas of the education sector.
“The difference between this organization and others playing similar roles like Oyo State Model Education System Interventions (OYOMESI), and the School Governing Board (SGB), is that though they look like performing dame functions, there are many grounds of differences. Both bodies, unlike OYO ETF, are interventions to improve the quality of education in the state but they are not established by law though they have operational guidelines that dictate their functions.
“OYO ETF serves as an umbrella body to these two in discharge of their responsibilities, the function of the ETF is broader and more encompassing. It takes a measure of not just improving academic performance but also structures, environment as well as quality delivery of teaching and learning in all schools across the state,” she stated.
Chief Akande further explained that in order to be able to accomplish the set objectives of its establishment, schools that are in dire need of intervention are being collated so that they will receive urgent attention, adding that the impact will very soon be seen by all.
She added that though people have shown interest in partnering with the OYO ETF in order to ensure that Oyo state returns to its rightful place on the ladder of education in Nigeria, more hands are being sought for the intervention to reach all crannies of the state.
In his address, the Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, Toye Arulogun, stated that the government is conscious of the need to urgently revamp the education sector in the state, adding that efforts will continue to be made to revive the legacy of education left by heroes past.
According to him, the government will not rest on its oars in putting in place policies and framework that will lead to the emergence of the education sector that will be a pride to every resident and indigenes of the state.
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