The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Education

  • Lagos’ new lease for education

    According to famous American scientist, George Washington Carver, ‘education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom’. Really, education is critical to the growth and development of any society. It empowers the individual with necessary knowledge and set of skills to actualize potential and maximize opportunities in life.  It is for this reason that governments across the world devote a good chunk of available resources to the development of the educational sector.

    Lagos is unarguably the state with the highest number of public schools, students and teachers. It has consistently been churning out the highest number of candidates for public examinations in Nigeria since 1967.  As a melting point with a bourgeoning population in excess of 20 million, provision of qualitative education in Lagos State has been a daunting task.

    The current administration in the state clearly understands that the task of making Lagos State “the model of excellence in the provision of education in Africa” requires meticulous attention. To this end, the sum of N92.4 billion, representing 11.37 percent was allocated to education sector in the state budget for 2017.

    Government has directed the policy toward ensuring equal educational opportunity in the state, encourage parents who might otherwise neglect their children’s education to send their children to school and making education affordable for everyone. So, within the half- time of the administration’s tenure, the wheels of what is mutating to be a historic education revolution in Lagos were rolled off with aggressive rehabilitation of public schools throughout the length and breadth of the state.  Several hundreds of classroom blocks have been built and renovated while thousands of students and teachers furniture supplied to various primary and secondary schools.

    In line with the commitment of the present administration to expand access to knowledge for Lagosians, the state’ science laboratories are now better equipped and the enthusiasm of students to be science inclined has become very high with a lot of success recorded. Equally, the state government has completed the renovation and upgrade of public libraries in 18 secondary schools across the state with top class facilities. Lagos Digital Library, an online repository of education content, is ready and will as well be launched in February 2018.

    The Lagos State government appreciates that as much as physical infrastructure is important, adequate and quality teachers in schools are as important.  Thus, as part of measures to bridge the gap in the teacher/pupil ratio in the state, the government recruited 1,300 teachers for primary schools while another 1000 teachers were recruited for public secondary schools in 2016. Similarly, government has been paying attention to teachers’ welfare.

    Also, since April, Code Lagos centres have been launched in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions (private and public) across the state, as well as in all public libraries and ICT spaces. The ultimate goal is for one million students in the state to have access to the coding system by the year 2019.

    Cheeringly, the dividend of the state’s investment in education is paying off. For instance, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was declared the “Teachers Most Friendly Governor” by the Nigeria Union of Teachers during the celebration of the last World Teachers’ Day in Abuja. The same day, President Muhammadu Buhari rewarded the hard work, high performance and high productivity of three Lagos State school teachers and administrator with the “President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Award”. Nominees of the state clinched three out of the nine categories of award available to contestants from 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    The awardees, Mrs. Lufadeju Dolapo Olufunke received the Best School Award on behalf of Ojodu Junior Grammar School, Ikeja. The “Best School Administrator Award” (Senior Secondary School category) went to Mrs. Oluderu Bilikisu Oluwaseyi of Magbon Alade Senior Grammar School while Mrs. Adelegan Moronike Sarat of Civil Service Junior Model College, Igbogbo was selected as the First Runner up, Best Administrator of the Year 2017.

    Earlier, five students of Lagos State public secondary schools had excelled at the Y2017 National Robot Olympiad and qualified to represent Nigeria at the World Robot Olympiad to be held in Costa Rica. It is worthy of note that Lagos State has been representing Nigeria in this competition since 2015.

    On September 22, Oluwasegun Durojaiye of Lagos State Model College, Igbokuta qualified to represent the South-west zone at the National Finals of the NNPC Science Quiz Competition and Atabo Ufedejo of Model College, Kankon emerged one of the best students at the national finals of the 2017 Oluwole Awokoya Chemistry Competition held in Kaduna from September 17 -22.

    Lagos State took the first position in the National Free Choice (Senior) Project presented by the students of Government Technical College, Agidingbi at the 2017 National Junior Engineers, Technicians and Scientists (JETS) competition in March. The state won 10 trophies and 10 medals at the event and seven of the trophies won went to state public schools students.

    Also, seven students/teachers from the state public schools were awarded medals and certificates at the 2017 edition of National Mathematics and Science Olympiad award ceremony organized by the National Mathematical Centre, Abuja.

    The Key Performance Indices of the education sector is not limited to competition awards as the state has made tremendous progress in external examinations since Y2015. The result of the state’s performance at the 2017 WASSCE is put at 66% pass in at least five subjects including English and Mathematics, compared to the 50.41% in 2016, 37.27% in 2015 and 21.22% in 2014.

    The question that comes to mind from the above is this: Is there a nexus among these various achievements? The answer, of course, is yes! Teachers’ training and staff welfare have been given priority attention with teachers’ salary being consistently paid regularly on the 23rd day of every month.

    It is also on record that all eligible teachers since 2015 to date have been promoted as at when due while 2,320 officers were trained between May, 2016-17 and many more have been done thereafter.

    Car loans were awarded to 425 beneficiaries to the tune of N30, 302, 252.75k, N30 million housing loan was approved for 55 beneficiaries in the teaching service and 4601 pensioners on the payroll of the Teachers Establishment and Pensions Office were paid regularly.

    To further encourage service delivery, Education Merit Award is organized annually in honour of outstanding performers in the various categories of award in the education sector of Lagos State. More than 100 education merit awards are given out with the star prize being a brand new car awarded to the best teacher in both the primary secondary school categories.

    Apart from improved teachers’ welfare, the state government’s huge investment in education infrastructure contributed immensely to the improved status of education in the state. Fortunately, the state government isn’t resting on its oars as it is poised to do more in the months ahead.

     

    • Ogundeji is Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

  • Education in Akwa Ibom State and Emmanuel’s big bets!

    I had deliberately told myself when Governor Udom Emmanuel assumed office that the number one index I will use in judging his performance and impact in office will be the strategic interventions and policies he brings to the Akwa Ibom state education sector.

    The reason is simple: before his foray into Public service, Emmanuel sat as an Executive Director in one of Nigeria’s top banks – Zenith Bank Plc. As someone who was largely transported to that enviable position in his banking career by the ladder of education, his interventions in the education, or the lack thereof,  will say a lot about the kind of future he wishes to bequeath to Akwa Ibom people.

    For as pioneering American educator Horace Mann had insightfully established as far back as 1848, Education…beyond all other devices of human origin, is a great equalizer of conditions of men – the balance wheel of the social machinery…It does better than to disarm the poor of their hostility toward the rich; it prevents being poor.  It goes without saying that a reliable way to judge if Governor Emmanuel is serious about alleviating poverty which is one of his five-point agenda would be to look at his efforts in repositioning the state’s education sector.

    On Tuesday, May 16, 2017, Emmanuel earned for himself my first reverberating applause when he moved in to commission a set of strategic futuristic education projects at the Akwa Ibom State University,(AKSU) Obio Akpa and Ikot Akpaden campuses.

    The projects, about seven in number include Digital Language Library, Commercial Farm Palm Oil Mill, Commercial Farm Feeds Mill, Vegetable Screen House, Ultra-Modern Mass Communication Studios, Standard Performance Arts Theatre and an administrative block, Administrative Block.

    Apart from seeing this as a daring effort by the Emmanuel administration to create the needed infrastructure and provide facilities that will engender qualitative teaching and learning at AKSU, there is a profound message the Governor appears to have sent to the management of the University about the future he is hoping to see there.

    It is safe to think that as someone who clearly understands that universities by their original design and philosophies are meant to serve as innovation and knowledge transfer centers to the society, Emmanuel with some of these projects was telling the management of AKSU that he has outsourced part of the responsibility of recreating THE CALIFORNIA STORY in Akwa Ibom state to the state-owned University.

    Why California?

    Rated as the 6th largest economy in the world, California, although just a state in the United States of America has an economy estimated to be larger than that of France or Brazil. The state of California has little offshore oil, yet its economy is larger than states in the US that are famous for their oil reserves, like Texas. California generates much of its revenue from non-oil products.

    Although not the mainstay of California’s economy, Agriculture as a sector also makes significant contribution to the state’s economy.  The state of California leads the American nation in the production of fruits, vegetables, wines and nuts. California produces the major share of U.S. domestic wine. Dairy products contribute the single largest share of farm income. California is also home to the famous Silicon Valley – an area in Santa Clara Valley, which continues to stay as a leading hub for high-tech innovation and development, accounting for one-third of all of the venture capital investment in the United States.

    But then, available facts indicate that California would never have reached this enviable height without the remarkable contributions of Stanford University. A study released in 2012 estimates that companies formed by Stanford entrepreneurs generate world revenues of $2.7 trillion annually and have created 5.4 million jobs since the 1930s. Companies founded by Stanford alumni include tech giants like Google, Hewlett-Packard and Cisco Systems.

    With the allocation of funds for the construction and then moving in to commission the Commercial Farm Palm Oil Mill, Farm Feeds Mill, and the Vegetable Screen House at AKSU, the Governor was clearly telling the institution that his administration is betting big on it to lead a knowledge-based diversification of Akwa Ibom state economy to commercial Agriculture.

    And to be honest, I expect that Management of the university understands that this is a great opportunity for the institution to create a new story among Nigerian universities.  For instance, it will be gladdening to see AKSU become the source of all the feeds for livestock farmers in Akwa Ibom and the Southsouth and Southeast region in the next few years. As a university, they have the advantage of deploying their research efforts into producing sought-after feeds, mill palm oil in commercial quantities for sale and produce a high-yielding breed of vegetable in the Screen house to farmers. This of course will also serve a reliable revenue source for the University.

    Away from providing these infrastructures, Emmanuel has been attracting accolades from the AKSU community by his commitment to funding the university and the prompt payment of salaries to the staff. The big bet by the Governor on this is that with these motivations, the staff will approach their duties with high morale and committed verve.

    But Emmanuel is not only betting big in the tertiary education sector alone. This year, the first batch of teachers out of the 5,000 recruited by the State Secondary Education board has been added to the workforce in public secondary schools in the state.

    This is coming on the heels of the bold decision by the Governor to have cancelled the former recruitment exercise which many alleged was fraught with irregularities.

    In a deliberate effort to also lay a firm foundation for public primary school pupils, Emmanuel is currently recruiting another set of 3,000 teachers under the Akwa Ibom State Universal Basic Education Board. These teachers who will pass through a thorough selection process will afterwards be saddled with the responsibility of moulding the future of prospective world changers.

    These efforts are in addition to the continuous construction of more school blocks and renovation of old blocks in Public Primary and Secondary schools in the state.

    It is safe to wager that Governor Emmanuel might be making this big bets the Akwa Ibom state education sector against the backdrop of the knowledge that investments in education has the power to trigger developments in other sectors of any society’s economy. Education is a fundamental driver of personal, national and global development. And as Akwa Ibom state journeys towards industrialization, there is need to prepare a generation who will take up the task of driving these developments in the future.

    The future looks bright!

     

     

    Borono Bassey writes from Akwa Ibom

     

  • Nigeria 27th toughest countries to educate girl child – Survey

    Nigeria 27th toughest countries to educate girl child – Survey

    As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark the International Day of the Girl Child 2017, the country has been ranked 27th in the world on the index of the toughest places for a girl child to be well educated.

    The country Director of ONE campaign, Serah Makka-Ugbabe, made this known  in Abuja.

    He said 52 per cent  of girls in Northeast  have never been to school, making it the toughest region for girls education in Nigeria.

    According to her, President Muhammadu Buhari has recently acknowledged the depth of the problem and the Ministry of Education has developed the 2016-2019 Ministerial Strategic Plan.

    “According to ONE’s research, the top 10 toughest places for a girl to get an education are South Sudan, Central African Republic, Niger, Afghanistan, Chad, Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Liberia and Ethiopia based on factors including female literacy rates, rate of out-of-school girls, and more. All of these countries are fragile states, and nine  of 10 are in Africa.

    “Nigeria is ranked 27th on ONE’s index of the toughest places for a girl to get an education, a ranking that underscores the need for action to ensure that every girl in Nigeria gets an education, with particular attention to the regional differences highlighted by the report. Education is in crisis in Nigeria.

    “Unfortunately, it is not a crisis that many can see immediately that is what makes addressing it so hard. It is a crisis nonetheless. 52% of girls in Northeast Nigeria have never been to school, making it the toughest region for girls education in Nigeria. “In comparison, only 5% of girls in the South South geopolitical zone have never been to school. For those who are in school, what are the learning outcomes? Are we actually training the future of Nigeria for the 21st century?”

    Ugbade also said:”This International Day of the Girl Child, ONE is launching ‘The Toughest Places for a Girl to Get an Education’ Index, which highlights the unique challenges faced by girls in the poorest countries and breaks down the toughest ten countries. Nine of the ten ‘toughest places’ are in Africa, and all are fragile states. “Nigeria is ranked number 27 on ONE’s Toughest Place for Girls to Get an Education Index, reflecting the urgency of the problem facing Africa’s most populous nation. With a population that is set to more than double to 400,000,000 people by 2050, educating Nigeria’s girls is crucial to the country reaping the potential benefits of its population boom”.

    The Director-General of the National Centre for Women Development?, Barrister Mary Ekpere Eta, in his welcome remark at the occasion said the girl child has continued to face challenges in many countries of the world, including Nigeria.

    She condemned the use of girl child as sex slaves, baby making factory and early and forced marriage resulting in VVF.

  • Stakeholders call for concerted efforts on investor education

    Stakeholders at the Nigerian capital market have called for increase in investor education and development of attractive and innovative products to enhance domestic participation in the Nigerian stock market.

    At an Investor Clinic organized by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Lagos as part of activities to mark the world investor week (WIW), stakeholders noted the need for continuous campaign to enlighten Nigerians on the benefits of savings and investments with a view to deepening the stock market with retail investors, especially the youth.

    Director General, Securities and |Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr. Mounir Gwarzo, pointed out that the world investor week was a week set aside for educating investors on their rights.

    Gwarzo, who was represented by the executive director, market development of SEC, Mr. Eddy Rowlands said that the Commission would continue to embrace initiatives that would move the market forward.

    According to him, the WIW was a week set aside primarily for educating investors to let them know what their rights are. Concentrating or notifying investors what the market regulators and operators are doing in protecting their investments.

    He noted that there is low participation of investors within the age of 25 years investing in the capital market, and this call for more enlightenment to the younger generation.

    He added that the Commission had established financial inclusion programmes to increase market participation and as well boost collective investment scheme among market women and men.

    Founder, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Mr Sunny Nwosu said that there was need for friendly policies and regulation by the capital market regulators.

    Nwosu said lack of proper compensation to investors that lost their funds during the market meltdown contributed to poor investor confidence in the market.

    He also decried the move to invest the unclaimed dividend funds into special funds noting that this initiative will not be supported by shareholders.

    Nwosu said that the proposed issuance of electronic annual report should not be made mandatory but optional, noting that extant law stipulated that annual reports must be posted to shareholders 21 days before the annual general meeting.

    Chief Executive Officer, AFEX Commodities Exchange, Mr. Deji Balogun commended the Commission for taking the capital market to the younger generation.

    Balogun also tasked market operators on the need for introduction of new products that would appeal to the younger generation.

    He said that opening of stockbroking accounts for new investors should be done through smart phones in line with present realities.

    Registrar, Institute of Capital Market Registrars, Dr. David Ogogo, said that the issue of the unclaimed dividends would soon be an issue of the past as registrars would continue to work with market regulators and operators to ensure effective implementation of the 10-year capital market masterplan.

  • Invest more in education, Tambuwal urges

    Invest more in education, Tambuwal urges

    Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal has called for more investment in education to secure the nation’s future.

    In an Independence message by his spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal explained investment in education and technology will be worthy legacy to be bequeathed to the children of Nigeria.

    “They are investments that will bring the best out of the next generation of Nigerians and enable us to reach our potential as individuals, as communities, as a nation.

    “We must continue to put the right policies in place and ensure diligent implementation of such policies.

    “This is important because our children hold so much hope for our future and no investment can be said to be too much for them,” he stated.

     

  • Ijaw family floats foundation to boost education

    Ijaw family floats foundation to boost education

    Unlike before, Ijaw is becoming more educationally aware. The people have learnt that there is no alternative to education. They now know that sending their children and wards to schools is the best way to conquer their world.

    In fact, education fever is made popular by the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson. He has made the sector a critical part of his administration. He has invested more money in education than other sectors building infrastructures and instituting programmes to encourage excellence in learning.

    Some spirited individuals and foundation have also emerged to complement his efforts.

    Recently, to stimulate learning and encourage academic activities, a foundation, the Seiyifa and Grace Koroye (SGK) Foundation and Legacy Awards, inaugurated an essay competition for senior secondary school students.

    The foundation was established by Chief Koroye and his wife with encouragement from their children during their 40th marriage anniversary to underscore the importance of education.

    The family is a product of education. Chief Koroye conquered his territory and came tops as a celebrated achiever through academic ladders. As a child of the Federal College Warri in 1969, he won an award in essay writing. His world changed. Little wonder, he decided to give back to the society by exposing children to a similar process that brought the best out of him.

    Koroye shared his experience. He said: “I won nationwide essay competition in 1969 which was instituted and funded by the United State’s Embassy, Nigeria. At that time, I was given a full University Scholarship and they called it John Health Kennedy Memorial Essay Contest”.

    He said there was a connect between the essay competition trophy he held in 1969 in the front page of the Daily Times newspaper and the one he had put up for grabs through his foundation.

    “The thing is, there is a dynamic element in such because as a result of my victory, when I went to the village, I was flanked by my friends celebrated for two weeks non-stop and it made so many parents to send their children to school in the 1970s.

    “They were  marveled that education could create a national recognition. The Ijaw nation was very proud of me. Allow me share the same enthusiasm with my children and I hope it grows bigger than it is. It is an healthy competitive rivalry.

    “The young people who win and those who participate will share a common drive towards excellence and do better than they are doing now”.

    The scholar attributed the foundation and the essay competition to the efforts of his children. He said his children conceived the ideas recently when they set up the foundation and legacy award.

    “This whole stuff was conceived by our children at our 40th anniversary party which they organized for us on the 12th February this year. It was a surprise to us as they brought a trophy and said they were instituting a foundation and legacy award.

    “It felt good to know that your children could go ahead of you and act beyond your thoughts, do something remarkable as well as celebrate and memorialize you even when you are alive”, he said.

    One of the Koroye’s children, Ayibanua, emphasized the reason behind the foundation and essay competition. He recalled that 60 years ago, their parents began their life journey through education as a vehicle.

    “That vehicle carried them from elementary to secondary and ultimately graduate school. As they excelled not only from their inherent intelligence but from complimentary diligence, awards and accolades naturally followed.

    “Their reward was exposure to higher levels of education as their proficiencies increased. In some strange way their stories were the same though taking place in different parts of the country from Orua to Maiduguri, Warri to Enugu converging in Ibadan and ultimately in the United Kingdom.

    “Their testaments- certificates, awards and degrees – only served as fuel for their championing the value of education in their families  communities and beyond. So in actual fact, you could say that the SGK Foundation is 50 years or more in the making -we are only officially giving it a name and a platform”, he said.

    He said at least 100 people had passed through their home sponsored through schools by his parents. He recalled that before his parents built houses and established themselves, they had invested massively in people’s education and future.

    He said: “Their families, communities, mechanics, neighbors and even house-helps were not left out of this crusade as they were encouraged to educate their children to the highest degrees and even pursue adult education.

    “They did not stop at lip service. It was demonstrated in financial support, admission assistance, accommodation and individual counseling. As their children, growing up in such an environment, we inadvertently imbibed these virtues.

    “So in commemoration of their 40th anniversary of a marriage so rich and fruitful, we thought it fit to institute the SGK Foundation and Legacy Awards as a testament to this phenomenal couple. Their legacy is not only their individual achievements but the sense of duty and service that accompanied every award demonstrated in the many changed lives that have crossed their paths”.

    In fact, SGK Foundation was berthed to celebrate educational achievements, institute essay competition, contribute to the awareness of education and highlight the empowerment it portends for the youths in the Niger Delta region and beyond.

    The essay competition meant for Senior Secondary School three (SS3) will reward first to third positions with N200,000, N100,000 and N50,000. The foundation also has a provision to encourage pupils in primary schools. Pupils’ scores from class three to five will be calculated and summed up with the first going home with N50,000; second N30,000 and third N20,000.

    Already, a committee for the competition had been inaugurated. It is to be chaired by the immediate past state Chairman of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Mr. Michael Afenfia. Other members of the committee are Dr. Ebi Yeibo, Nengi Ilagha and Perekibene Berezi.

    Afenfia said the focus on essay was because of its coverage of the entire human existence. He essay competition helps students to extensively prepare their minds, organise themselves and bring out the analytical skills in them.

    “All these are the requirements for developing a child and preparing them for the future in cognizance with the saying that they are the future leaders. It makes them confident, competent and broad-minded.

    “Readers are leaders and a good essay writer is a good reader, a voracious one. This is also meant to make them engaged constructively and productively devoid of thinking or perpetrating evil”, he said.

    Afenfia said the foundation had a relationship with ANA, the ministry of education and the governor’s office. He thanked the Koroye’s family for giving back to the society.

    Also, Mrs. Koroye thanked Dickson for supporting the foundation adding that the governor was a first donor when the foundation was initially inaugurated. She encouraged others to support the efforts of the foundation.

  • Oando Foundation, Fashion Vie raise N43.8m for girl-child education

    Oando Foundation (OF), the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of Oando PLC, has partnered with Fashion Vie New York to raise funds towards the education of the Nigerian ‘girl child’ last Thursday.

    Fashion Vie, an annual charity fashion show which runs alongside New York Fashion Week, is the brain child of Chuks Collins whose fashion designing career began in Nigeria.

    A statement by the Foundation noted that it is the first Africa entity to receive proceeds from The Dream: Fall 2017 Benefit Fashion Show and Silent Auction organised by Fashion Vie, where it successfully raised N43,800,000 for the education of the girl-child.

    Over the years the foundation has focused its ‘Adopt a School’ initiative towards providing access to improved quality education, especially for girls in Northern Nigeria.

    By providing hygiene and sanitary facilities, scholarships to brilliant girls for secondary education, mentorship programmes, training of female teachers, and partnerships with international development organisations in the schools, the foundation said it had succeeded in increasing enrolment of girls.

    Speaking at the event, Adekanla Adegoke, Head, Oando Foundation, said the funds would be channeled towards making girls more comfortable in school.

    “The partnership with Fashion Vie comes at a critical time when Oando Foundation is scaling up its Girl Child intervention under the Adopt-A-School Initiative. The funds raised will directly support the educational and social needs of girls in our adopted schools, providing them opportunities for a better future.”

    He said the Foundation will use proceeds to provide potable water and sanitation in public primary schools, information and communication technology (ICT) education, scholarships, and safe spaces for girls.

    Oando Foundation has 80 public primary schools it adopted in 23 states of Nigeria – 30 of which are under the infrastructure development component.  It has established 17 ICT centres and three Early Child Care Development Education (ECCDE) centres in these schools.

    In addition, the Foundation has donated over 5,000 books and learning materials across intervention communities, supported community involvement by strengthening the capacity of over 300 School Based Management Committee (SBMC) members, awarded scholarships to 907 pupils and facilitated training of 1,700 teachers.

    Chuks said the foundation was selected because of its laudable work in education.

    “This year, Fashion Vie has chosen to return to Nigeria, where my story began. We are inspired by the important work of the Oando Foundation, providing interventions for marginalized Out-Of-School-Children and those unable to cry out for the justice of accessible education in Nigeria,” he said.

     

  • BBNaija Bisola as education ambassador for UN General Assembly

    BBNaija Bisola as education ambassador for UN General Assembly

    The first runner up of BBNaija, Bisola Aiyeola, who is presently one of the ONE.org ambassadors, will be attending the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly in New York to campaign for girls’ education. The campaign aims to increase the access and quality of education for girls in Nigeria, with an emphasis on the northern part of Nigeria.

    Going as a ONE ambassador, a role she won while participating in the ‘Back to School’ presentation task, during the reality show, Aiyeola called on Nigerian lawmakers to prioritize girls’ education.

    While commenting on the presentation, Serah Makka, ONE Nigeria’s director, said “We are proud to congratulate Bisola! Her presentation was very moving as she highlighted the status of girls education. ONE looks forward to working with her to take our Campaign to the United Nations General Assembly in New York this September.”

    “During the UN General Assembly we will ask Nigerian and other African leaders to make education work for every girl by 2030, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4. The event which will last for a week will be attended by various world leaders.”

    Other ambassadors for the ONE campaign include Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Bonang Matheba, and Waje.

  • Akinlade hails Amosun, urges support for education

    Akinlade hails Amosun, urges support for education

    Ogun State Governor  Ibikunle Amosun has been commended for his pragmatic style of governance, particularly for establishing a polytechnic in Ipokia Local Government Area of the state.

    A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abiodun Akinlade, who made this observation in a statement at the weekend, said the setting up of the institution is an indication that the governor is committed to ensuring that the Ogun West zone catches up with other zones in terms of development.

    Amosun performed the foundation-laying ceremony of the Ogun State Polytechnic, Ijaye-Okembo, Ipokia, last week, after the bill to establish the institution was passed by the House of Assembly and signed into law in March by the governor.

    Akinlade, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the choice of Ipokia and Ogun West for the new institution is appropriate and timely, adding that Amosun has become the architect of a new Ogun State, with his landmark projects spread across the  state.

    He said: “After over 40 years of creation of our dear state, Governor Amosun has once again written his name in gold and the people of Ogun West will never forget his deliberate endeavour to develop our zone. This is the first full-fledged state institution to be established in an Ogun West community and we are very appreciative.”

    Akinlade, who is the Baba Adinni of Yewaland, noted that the establishment of the institution will not only open up the area to development, but it will also have a positive impact on the socio-economic growth of the town and Ogun West at large.

    He added: “This is the season that Ogun West has been waiting for. Aside standing with our aspiration for governorship in 2019, the governor has also chosen to enhance the educational capacity of our youths and also generate employment for our people. I want to urge all and sundry to continue to support Amosun in its bid to enhance the quality of education in the state.”

  • Lagos Assembly urges contractors to speed up work on model colleges

    The Committee on Education of the Lagos State House of Assembly has urged contractors handling  the model college in Awori, Lagos City Model College and Angus Memorial College to speed up work in the schools.

    Chairman of the Committee Hon. Olanrewaju Ogunyemi, who led other members to the project sites on Monday, said the projects were important and ambitious, stressing that they were giant strides of the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

    “The model colleges visited would have 26 classrooms each; they would have laboratories and other facilities. These are world class facilities that befit a model college.

    “The essence of the visit is to assess the projects based on the desire of the government. We have visited the three model colleges that ought to be pilots for other model colleges in the state.

    “We are pleased with what we saw at Angus and Lagos City Model College, Kings Country Project, but we are unhappy with what the contractor at Awori College, Eldorado Engineering, did after collecting 40 per cent of the fund.”

    The lawmaker, however, expressed optimism that if given the necessary back up, the contractors handling Angus and Lagos City Model College would do their best within the one year specified for the completion of the projects.

    He said the committee would get back to the House on the visit.

    He said: “Given the passion the government has shown on the projects, we feel that we should see what the contractors have done so far.

    “We are concerned about infrastructure in our schools and we believe that these are unique projects that should attract our attention”.