The School Governing Boards (SGBs) initiated by the Oyo State government have injected more than N2bn into the state’s education sector in the last one year.
The SGB is a participatory model, which brings together all stakeholders in the education system in the management of public secondary schools in the state.
Besides, the state government has awarded contracts estimated at N2bn for the renovation and reconstruction of 100 secondary schools across the state.
The State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, disclosed these during the foundation laying ceremony of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association’s guest house extension, held at the institution, on Monday.
A March 8 letter by the National President of the association, Dr. Kemi Emina, had indicated the resolve of the UI Alumni to name the building after the governor as a mark of recognition of his outstanding performance.
The president said that the building would be inaugurated on May 5 as part of activities lined up to mark the 60th anniversary of the association.
The letter reads, “As an association, we have carefully followed your activities as the governor of Oyo State. It is a general consensus that you have set a pace in governance and infrastructural development that will be difficult to match, years after you leave office.
“And this partly formed the reason for our award to you in September, last year. Equally important to us is that the building (Alumni guest house) be named after you in perpetuity.”
Ajimobi, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Adeniyi Olowofela, said that the commitment of the N2bn by the SGBs till date was a proof that the policy was a step in the right direction.
He said, “In the last one year, the SGB has injected over N2bn into the education sector in Oyo State. This is a further vindication of the policy as a step in the right direction.
“On our part, we have committed a lot of funds into education in our determined efforts to revamp the sector and to produce students that will compete favourably with their peers anywhere in the country and beyond.
“Let me use this opportunity to thank members of the SGBs for their patriotism and commitment. By this I mean the Parents-Teachers Associations, school principals, Old Students Associations, philanthropists, corporate organizations and others, who acceded to our clarion call to serve on the boards.
“I’m highly impressed by the response of many of these SGBs members who have joined hands with the government by contributing financially towards giving our schools the needed facelift.”
The governor said further that the administration’s commitment to quality education and character building among the students partly informed the introduction of the SGB and the Oyo State Model Education Systems Intervention (OYOMESI).
