Fashola Promises To Fix Schools In Poor Shape

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, has debunked the argument that public schools are in bad shape, noting that the isolated pictures that are fed to the public atimes about the state of some public schools do not represent the face of public education in the state.

He gave a commitment that just as there are roads to be fixed and schools to be rehabilitated what the average resident should have in mind is that if the administration has not reached them, it is still on the way.

He said his administration has constructed about 5,000 new classrooms and granted an approval for the renovation of 176 public schools in the state as a part of a continuous process to continue to invest and be innovative about education in the state. He said he was determined to ensure that all public schools in Lagos State are restored to compete and exceed standards obtainable in private schools.

Fashola spoke at the Banquet Hall of the Lagos House, Ikeja, at the official launch of Eko Corps Exercise Books which is a collaborative effort of the Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), Lagos Signage and Advertising Agency (LASAA), Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), and Lagos State Water Corporation.

He said with sustained investments in the education sector over the past four years ranging from building of new classrooms, massive rehabilitation, renovation and equipping of schools as well as training and re-training of teachers, the results are beginning to show positively

He added that towards revitalizing education, the government has also gone back to the basics by re-introducing programmes like Schools Debates and voluntary associations just as new programmes like Spelling Bees and One Day Governor have also evolved as some of the means by which old standards in public schools are being recreated.

He said as part of the new confidence by the public, the enrolment figures being recorded in public schools is decimating those of private schools because they are becoming destination of choice.

The Governor stressed that what is needed currently is an amalgamation of partnerships rather than complaints and condemnation of its activities adding that teachers have also been trained and retrained even during the just concluded vacation.

He argued that though the exercise books come without a charge to the pupils, they are however not free because they were indeed paid for by some people through taxes, adding that government is seeking to take from those who are privileged to take care of the less privileged in the society.

Governor Fashola affirmed that though the steps may not be enough largely because the population of the State is growing in leaps and bounds and always attracting people from different locations who relocate to Lagos to eke out a living and enjoy services not available where they were coming from.

He said kudos must be given to governments which have returned some public schools to their former owners as the step has assisted in reducing the burden of governments which took on more than it could sustain and affected the output.

Governor Fashola stated that the re-invention and restoration of education is a journey which everyone must be ready to get on board, stating that government requires enormous resources to do more.

The Governor said he directed that the programme should take place at the Lagos House, Alausa because he wanted the students who are the beneficiaries of the exercise books to have a feel of what those saddled with political power do on a day to day basis.

He added that through this means they would be able to know how roads are constructed, how schools are built and how programmes are implemented adding that the Nigerian society is long disconnected with how government runs.

Speaking earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Revenue and Taxation, Mr Abimbola Shodipo said the branded exercise books which is to be distributed to public schools is an additional effort by the administration of Governor Fashola to make education more impactful in the state.

He added that the state of schools have improved tremendously such that that the mass failure that was the feature of students sitting for public examinations is now gone.

A presentation of Eko Corps Exercise books was made to winners of the Tax Essay competition namely Ademola Fasanya, Idi- Araba Junior High School, Faith Izegbu St Jude’s Private School and Amen Joseph of Ogba Junior Grammar School in the junior category and Margaret Babatunde, Vivian Fowler Memorial College, Munirat Ojotu, Command Day Secondary School and Raphael Chinwuko from Topgrade Secondary School in the senior secondary category by the Governor.

Notable among those who witnessed the ceremony were the Deputy Governor, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, members of the State Executive Council and top executives of the agencies representing the six organizations that provided the branded exercise books and school pupils.