The prototype of state-of-the-art Model SMART Schools being constructed by the Federal Government in six geopolitical zones of the country will be established each in three senatorial districts of the Oyo State.
Oyo State Governor, ’Seyi Makinde, made this plans known when he received a delegation of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in his office, where he also outlined steps being taken by his administration to ensure quality education such as increasing budgetary allocation from about 3.6 per cent to over 20 per cent of Oyo State’s annual budget.
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Arc. Sonny Echono, led the team which also has the chairman Governing Board of UBEC, Professor Usman Adamu Kyuka, and Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Hamid Bobboyi, to the governor’s office.
The governor, while disclosing plans of his administration to replicate the Federal Government’s SMART School initiative in each of the three senatorial districts of the state, said that his government was set to enhance the quality of teaching, learning and the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT).
He commended UBEC for the support in ensuring improvement of basic education delivery in the state, especially the implementation of Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) initiative as well as plans to eliminate out-of-school syndrome in the state.
The chief press secretary to the Governor, Mr Taiwo Adisa, who confirmed the development, said Makinde had seen the design of the smart schools during a visit to UBEC Headquarters, Abuja, and since then expressed the desire to establish similar schools in the state.
The governor said: “I want to welcome this delegation to Oyo State and will like to thank you for your support to our state at the basic education level and even at the BESDA level.
“Ibadan, actually, used to be ahead of the education capital of not just Nigeria but the whole continent; but we lost all of that along the line. “Suddenly, we had the most out-of-school children in the entire South West and that was the situation we were in when we came in.
“When we came in, I met Dr Bobboyi in Abuja and when I saw the design of those smart schools, I assured that we are going to replicate them in Oyo State. We will have one in each of our senatorial districts; such is good for our gifted and talented children. It is a work in progress and we will get there”.
The governor equally explained that as part of the fulfilment of the promise made to UBEC, his administration has not only met the recommendation of UNESCO for education but surpassed it in the 2021 budget.
“One of the things that I can remember that I promised the UBEC team in the early days of this administration is that we will meet the UNESCO’s recommendation in terms of the percentage of our budget to education, and I am happy to report that, for 2021 budget, we have not only met the recommendation but have actually surpassed it.
“While speaking on BESDA in Oyo State, Governor Makinde promised that his administration will align with UBEC on BESDA fund.
“This is an example of how the state; the sub-national government can collaborate with the FG to ensure that its programmes and policies actually get the desired results at the local level. We will ensure that we do that effectively and this is an opportunity to demonstrate that.”
Earlier, the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Arch. Echono, appreciated the Oyo State government for the implementation of the zonal headquarters project that is on-going in the state, adding that the visit was meant to assess and inspect the on-going project of the model smart school in the state.
He explained that Oyo State is the only state in the South West that was chosen to benefit from the project due to its history, size, importance, and role in the scheme of things in this country.
According to him, “We are grateful for your support and that of your government in the implementation of the zonal headquarters project. The project is on going and it is part of the reasons we are here.
“We also think the first step in the process is to come to pay a courtesy visit to you in your office and carry out some assessment on the on-going projects and have a discussion with your officials in the implementation of the programme.
In his remark, the executive secretary of UBEC, Dr Hamid Bobboyi, extended greetings to the governor and the people of the state for providing them with a wonderful space.
He said Ibadan is the centre of educational development not only in the South West but in the entire country.
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