Despite Covid-19 pandemic and EndSARS protest that slowed down economy and various developmental projects outlined for last year, the Chairman, Special Committee on Rehabilitation of Public Schools (SCRPS), Mr Hakeem Smith, said the committee has renovated about 92 schools in the last one year in Lagos State.
Giving the update, while reeling out the achievements of the committee, he said the construction of about 300 classrooms were at various stages of completion, while construction of seven new hostel blocks, which would provide about 1,400 beddings were also nearing completion in the model colleges.
In addition, he pointed out that the construction of eight watchtowers with alarm bells and perimeter fences to enhance security were already in place in those schools.
Besides, Smith said the ongoing projects have provided jobs for about 18,000 people, who are directly and indirectly involved in them
According to him, the schools’ rehabilitation and construction projects have contributed to the socio- economic outlook of the state, adding that they have created numerous value chains of employments ranging from suppliers of building materials, bricklayers, tillers, carpenters and food vendors.
“The year 2020 was a challenging one globally because of the coronavirus outbreak, which grounded virtually the world economy, yet we made substantial progress with our phase one project.
”The rehabilitation and emergency interventions are almost completed in most schools as they have shorter project circle. Furnoture works on the other hand are visible in most of the schools as they are already in use.
“The phase one projects which comprises about 300 new classrooms, hostel blocks, provision of about 100,000 student furniture in secondary and primary schools and rehabilitation interventions in 92 schools, emergency intervention in 42 schools with varyng classrooms per schools commenced after all necessary processes and documentation were concluded,” Smith said.
All these interventions, Smith said was in line with Babjide Sanwo-Olu administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda, to improve the quality of education in the state. He disclosed that his committee was inaugurated in November, 2019 with the focus to improve the standard of infrastructure and learning environment in Lagos public schools.
On the phase two projects, he lamented that the 2020 pandemic disrupted their commencement, adding that other notable initiatives commenced with the establishment of new schools in some communities.
”We have started two of such in Elemoro community in Ibeju-Lekki and Oriokuta in Ikorodu. The Elemoro school has reached advanced stage while Oriokuta was delayed due to communual issues, which has now be resolved,the SCRPS boss said,
Other board members of the committee at the briefing included Mr , Babatunde Raj-Label, Secretary; Mrs Yetunde Holloway, Mr Segun Adebanjo and Mrs Gbemisola Legunsen, members.
To guarantee tha schools are well maintained henceforth, Smith said his committee was working with the Lagos State Infrastructure Assets Management Agency, while also urging teachers and principals to take ownership and responsibilities of the infrastructure in their area.
On future initiatives, he said the committee hoped to compliment the initiitves listed above by rehabilitating schools, building new ones and new classroom blocks in existing schools.
“Provision of furniture for students, teachers and principal, incorporating Information Communication Technology (ICT) to drive teaching and learning through infrastructural needs, provising school buildings and incorporating green iniatives,” he said
According to him, other initiatives included the provision of IT based modern lerning tools in school buildings, adding that the use of computer tool like interactive screen, tablets and the likes in the classroom environment would improve lerning and help students to develop their IT skills.
He said”One of such has commenced at Vetland Junior Grammar School, Agege with a modular construction type building and we hope to replicate it in all the education districts.”
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