By ‘Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor
Commissioner for Works and Transport in Osun State, Remi Omowaiye, has said that the ongoing reform in the state’s education sector is driven by the overwhelming desire of the people across the state for certain changes to be effected. The commissioner made the submission in Lagos on Saturday while explaining that contrary to insinuations in some quarters within and outside the state, there is nothing political about the reforms.
He declared that the Gboyega Oyetola administration in the state is people-driven and will always respond swiftly to the yearning of the masses. He recalled that prior to his election as governor, Oyetola had, during a debate with other governorship candidates, promised to take a critical look at the education policies in the state with a view to effecting changes where necessary. “The reforms are part of our campaign promises,” Omowaiye said.
Explaining the reforms, the commissioner said the one-uniform policy in the state has been abolished while some schools have been returned to their former names and states. “We are also cancelling the policy that abolished single sex schools in the state. Some girls schools that had boys enrolled into them and vice versa will not return to their previous names and states. But we are keeping faith with the Opon Imo because that is something that has brought a lot of accolades to Osun within and outside the country,” he said.
He added that the reforms were not just about impulse or just what the people want. “We wanted to be sure that it was the best thing for us to do. So, the governor mandated the ministry of education to look at the issue and advice. The ministry did and we deliberated on their report. Then we felt it was more than what the executive council alone could decide on. So, a seven-man committee headed by the deputy governor was put in place to further review the report and advice.
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“But the committee felt the need to expand the scope of the discussion and that led to the 13-man panel headed by Professor Olu Aina with General Alani Akinriade as one of the eminent persons on board. Experts from all arms of the sector from primary to secondary and the tertiary institutions were on the panel. Representatives of teachers, of principals and of head-teachers, as well as other stakeholders were part of the team that looked at the education policies in the state and they came up with a number of recommendations which we as a government, unanimously agreed to,” he explained.
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