Oyo government is working on repositioning schools ― Commissioner

The Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Barrister Olasukanmi Olaleye, at the weekend reiterated the commitment of the government to reposition schools within the state, adding that the incumbent government is committed to providing qualitative and free education to all in the state.

The commissioner represented by the Special Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Students Affairs, Mr Victor Olojede, made this known at the weekend while speaking at the finale of a week-long program held to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Bishop Onabanjo High School Ashi-Bodija in Ibadan.

According to him, the government has not deviated from its focus of repositioning schools in the states and is presently putting in place all that is required to achieve its objectives.

He added that it’s not new that the current administration in the state has zero-tolerance for any collection of fee in our schools and as a result, the grants are being released to schools to cushion the effect of this. Our government has continued to double-up its efforts in ensuring that students and teaching staff in government schools are safe during this pandemic period.”

Also speaking, the pioneer principal of the school, Mrs Modupe Adeleke, has stated that teachers need to be conscientious and careful because they have a lot to answer for on judgment day and their judgment will be special in heaven because of their actions or inactions over the pupils put in their care to raise.

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Adeleke who was the special guest at the programme reiterated that there will be a judgement on how each teacher handles and raise the pupils that were put in their care. She also commended the efforts of the old students association of the school for thinking about renovating their Alma Mater especially on the commissioning of toilets and the E-Library they put in place, adding that former students should always remember their background, institutions that made them and give back so the younger generation can also have the kind of qualitative education they had.

“I’m so happy at the level of development I met here today and also feel honoured to have been able to make it to this event as one of the award recipients. I don’t expect to be honoured by students because I was strict while I was their principal. You remembered that I was so strict to the extent that any student that is not on assembly ground at 8 am then will not be able to make it to the classroom not to even think of having the privilege of receiving lectures.

“That is how teachers should operate, we should inculcate the act of God in the children under our care, we should be able to manage them well; we should be able to inculcate the act of discipline in them. Teachers should be able to teach morals, I saw one of the students recently and I was so happy because he had told me that he is now an architect and imagine we started this school then without a laboratory and the student I’m talking about said he was one of the pioneer students of this school, that makes me happier.

“I was able with the help of the Parents Teachers Association to contribute meaningfully to the lives of those children and today I’m happy to have done that.” Mrs Adeleke said.

The old students association of the school commissioned a five-room toilet, renovated a block comprising of three staff rooms, two vice-principal offices and 18 classrooms. In addition, they commissioned the E-Library and painted some structures in the school; the school hall, Block A, B and C.

One of the pioneering students of the school, Mr Jide Ojo called on the Alumni of the school to come and assist their Alma Mater with other facilities that will further make learning more comfortable for the students of the school.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE