Oyo SGB commits N2bn to education in one year – Ajimobi

Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State says the School Governing Board (SGB) initiated by his administration has injected more than N2 billion into the state’s education sector in the last one year.

Ajimobi disclosed this during the foundation laying ceremony of University of Ibadan Alumni Association’s guest house extension in Ibadan on Monday.

Recall that the SGB is a participatory management of schools that allows all stakeholders to participate in the management of schools.

The governor, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Adeniyi Olowofela, said that the N2 billion committed was a vindication of the policy as a step in the right direction.

“In the last one year, the SGB has injected over N2 billion into the education sector in the 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 organisations and others who acceded to our clarion call to serve on the boards,” he said.

The governor said that he was highly impressed by the response of many of the SGBs, who have joined hands with the government by contributing financially towards giving schools the needed support.

He noted 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).

Ajimobi added that his administration has awarded contracts estimated at N2 billion for the renovation and reconstruction of 100 secondary schools across the state.

Dr Kemi Emina, President, UI Alumni Association, had in a letter given to the governor on March 8, indicated the resolve of the association to name the building after the governor in recognition of his outstanding performance.

Emina said that the building would be inaugurated on May 5 as part of activities lined up to mark the 60th anniversary of the association.

“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.

“Also, this partly formed the reason for our award to you in September last year.

Equally, it is important to us that the building (Alumni guest house) be named after you in perpetuity,” he said.