Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has reiterated the commitment of his administration to ensure that no child of school age is denied access to affordable and qualitative education in the state.
The governor gave this assurance, on Monday, while declaring the Ogun State Education Summit open in Abeokuta.
Speaking on the theme of the Summit, “Affordable Qualitative Education: Pursuit of Excellence,” the governor also seized the ocassion to announce the state government’s readiness to distribute a new set of educational materials to all schools in the state.
The governor added that the focus of his administration is to ensure that products of Ogun State schools have skills that makes them employable.
In spite of the successes recorded so far, the Ogun State Governor said, “we realise that the sector still needs to be improved upon.”
He therefore called on stakeholders in the education sector to contribute their quota to its development as a means of ensuring a secured future for the nation.
Governor Amosun also spoke about reports that some youths in Ogun State were recently involved in the crime of hacking into the computer system of a public institution.
While warning those involved to desist from such nefarious activities, Governor Amosun assured that his administration would ensure that they are engaged and made to channel their intellect and energy positively.
In her welcome address, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mrs. Modupe Mujota said, “the Summit would afford the state the opportunity to deliberate on the successes of the past years, review the outcome so far and also propose the next step beyond this present administration.”
The Commissioner revealed that the Governor Amosun-led administration has over the past 6 years spent in excess of N60 billion in the provision of free and qualitative education.
In his presentation, the Registrar of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, who spoke on “Baseline and Assessment,” charged tertiary institutions in Ogun State to do more in the area of competitiveness.
The JAMB Registrar added that skill acquisition, through vocational and technical training, should be considered as an integral part of the curriculum and not extra-curricular activities.
Speaking on the topic, “Technology as a tool for Education Advancement,” Chairman of Phillips Consulting Limited, Mr. Foluso Phillips, noted that technology has literally changed the world while urging the state government to embrace the use of modern technology.
Dr. Doyin Salami of the Lagos Business School and Pan African University, who gave a critical look into the topic, “Funding versus Results,” said education is the inter-generational gateway to development.
Dr. Salami also urged the organised private sector to support the state government in its quest to develop the education sector.
