The policy of free education is not necessarily a socialist intervention. I say this because out in the West, many still believe that it takes socialism to do that kind of thing. I say no. It takes welfare capitalism to get things going.
With aggressive pursuit of internally generated revenue and tax enforcement, the policy gave the Western Region a massive turnaround in the First Republic. The Oyo State government is beginning to show signs that it believes in that policy.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State was reported to have directed that entry forms into the state’s schools of science and junior secondary schools be made free henceforth. The statement further disclosed that the fees earlier paid by the categories of students mentioned above be refunded by the management of the respective schools immediately.
According to the statement, the directive by Makinde was in fulfillment of his electioneering promise to promote free and quality education to the citizenry of the state. Earlier, he had abolished the payment of N3000 instituted by his predecessor.
As an avowed supporter of President Donald Trump, I think it’s quite nice to see leaders in this country keeping their campaign promises. Trump promised to renegotiate NAFTA, pull out of the controversial Iran deal, boost job creation and build a wall along the US/Mexico border. He has done this, except building of the wall which has only just begun.
If Makinde can keep all his promises, he might turn out to be probably the best governor of Oyo State since 1999. Already, it’s been reported he wants pensioners to collect his salaries. That’s terrific. The governor of Ogun State, also a billionaire, is apparently set to do nice things as well. The billionaires are not doing badly, are they?
But if this policy’s going to succeed, the citizens have to be tax-compliant. I think we’ve got to the stage you have to go to prison if you don’t pay up. It used to be like that in the Western Region. Why don’t we get cracking now?
That’s how Oyo can restore its pacesetter status in the education sector.
Hameed Adegbesan,
Abuja.
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