The Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has distributed science equipment worth N109 million to public schools pledging his administration’s commitment to more investment in the education sector.
Speaking at a ceremony in Ado Ekiti on Monday where the equipment was handed over to the benefiting secondary schools and technical colleges, Fayemi said his administration would continue to invest in the education sector to boost the capacities of students and teachers to cope with modern trends in education.
Fayemi explained that the gesture was in line with his promise to reposition the education sector through the provision of all necessary teaching aids that would, in turn, develop school pupils.
Represented by the Deputy Governor Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, Fayemi said the provision of the equipment would afford the pupils an early exposure to the understanding of science and technology and boost their capacity to put them to effective use.
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Describing science and technology as pivotal to the development of human race, Fayemi said it was important to develop local capacity to evaluate, absorb, and improve scientific and technological knowledge of students for better understanding of science.
The governor stated that it was imperative to take a step forward from the archaic practice of teaching science subjects without students’ deliberate exposure to the practical aspects of science using modern equipment.
Fayemi who identified investment in science and technology as a catalyst to development noting that no nation can achieve sustainable development without investing in the sector.
He said: “The importance of the use of this equipment to the overall success of the students in science subjects cannot be overestimated.
“The present reality staring us at the face is that for any nation to enjoy meaningful development, there must be a conscious investment in science and technology.
“China is a world-leading economy today because of her total commitment to the development of science and technology.
“I urge all benefiting schools to make good use of the equipment. Teachers and students of science should work with these items in their school laboratories to achieve the purpose for which they were acquired.
“Starting from this year’s external examinations, I want a hundred per cent pass in science subjects. Better performance in science examinations is the only thing that can justify a huge amount of money invested in the procurement of this equipment.”
Speaking earlier, the Commissioner, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Foluso Daramola, said the government distributed the equipment for Ekiti to be transformed to reflect global best practices.
Daramola said the era of teaching science subjects without the use of relevant science equipment has gone for good with the procurement of the state-of-the-art equipment.
The Commissioner noted that the Fayemi administration on assumption office abrogated collection if fees in all public primary and secondary schools making education free and compulsory for all students.
Besides, Daramola disclosed that government also approved payment of West African Examinations Council (WAEC) fees for 14, 242 students despite the prevailing financial challenges in addition to the distribution of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) forms.
He urged all the benefiting schools to put the equipment into good use urging teachers and students to reciprocate the gesture to maximise them for their benefit.
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