28th February, 2011
Thirteen-year old Daniel Udo, a primary six pupil of Fadu Memorial Primary School, Egbo Local Council Development Area, LCDA was full of joy when he received free notebooks and school uniform from the council.
The Ejigbo LCDA Chairman, Hon. Kehinde Bamigbetan had spent about N15 million to provide free uniforms, notebooks, chalk, rulers, among others to pupils of nine primary schools in the area as well as purchase free Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, (JAMB) forms to indigent students.
The free education materials was part of his Free Education Programme, held at Fadu Schools Complex recently with thousands of pupils, parents and government officials in attendance.
Bamigbetan said the distribution of the materials was in line with his campaign promises which included free meals, uniforms, notebooks and rulers in public primary schools as well as construction of a new primary school in each of the four disadvantaged wards.
He added that the programme also included free General Certificate Examination, GCE and JAMB forms to indigent youths; provision of sick bays, desks and chairs for public primary schools.
“We have built new toilets in each of the schools. We are building two new public primary schools in Aigbaka and Ailegun Wards.
“Since December 2008, free uniforms have become the fundamental right of each child in our public primary schools. Since February 2009, the provision of 1,800 chairs and desks have ensured that no child in our public primary schools sit on the floor in any classroom,†he stated.
According to Bamigbetan, the impact of these policies had led to increase in enrolment of pupils in public primary schools in the area from 4, 200 in November 2008 to 7,127.
The chairman stated that with development, there was urgent need for the state government to increase the number of teachers in the schools in the council, adding that the council was working with the state government to ensure the construction of a community library within the area.
—Kazeem Ugbodaga
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