Education: Sanwo-Olu commissions four edifices across Lagos Schools
… says investment in education rewarding
By Moses Adeniyi
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Thursday commissioned four new infrastructure projects across State owned public schools.
The projects which were commissioned include a block of 18 classrooms with administrative offices, library, laboratory block, toilets, and borehole each at Igbobi Junior College, Fazil Omar Senior High School and Iwaya Onike Girls High School, Iwaya as well as a block of 18 Classrooms at the Akintan Junior Grammar School.
The project commissioned were among a number of 1,097 projects covering 970 public primary and secondary schools approved by Governor Sanwo-Olu for construction in the past 2 years.
The breakdown of the 1,097 projects include: over 86,000 dual furniture sets supplied to 775 schools; 70 new school buildings; 197 schools renovated; eight new hostel blocks built in the boarding schools.
The projects are evenly distributed across the Local Government Areas (LGA’s) and Local Council Development Area (LCDA’s) in the State.
Governor Sanwo-Olu who spoke at the Akintan Junior Grammar School, Surulere, where the Commissioning of a 12 classrooms edifice took place, said the Government have so far completed over 1,097 projects covering 970 Schools across the State within the last two years.
“In the last two years, our Government has ensured the prompt construction and rehabilitation of 322 dilapidated public schools, while 87,000 dual composite units of furniture were supplied to Primary and Secondary Schools across the State,” he said.
He disclosed that the State is flagging off new school infrastructural projects to deliver 300 classrooms including seven new hostel blocks in some of State’s schools.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said: “I am delighted to inform you that this will be a continuous exercise until all the promised infrastructural projects have been delivered to the beneficiary schools across the State.
“This Administration is convinced that teaching and learning can only effectively take place effectively in a conducive environment; this explains our commitment to the provision of new structures and the rehabilitation of existing ones.”
He recounted that the feat achieved at the recently concluded Maltina School Games where the State emerged the Overall Best with its students clinching 21 Gold Medals, are a testament to the improvement in the quality and standard of education in the State’s public schools.
“I am glad to note that our investment in the education sector has been yielding positive results. Our students’ performance has improved in examinations, national and international competitions. They also have improved morals, etiquette, and confidence in public speaking.
“To our amiable children and leaders of the future, I can’t wait to see you become global leaders and professionals in various fields. You can do it. I challenge you to study hard to justify Lagos State’s investment in your education,” he said
He further assured all parents that the standard of education in the State will continue to rise as his administration “will not stop until Lagos State schools become a positive reference point across the globe.”
He however charged the community leaders, school administrators, staff and students of these schools to take ownership of the infrastructures, stating that “all hands must be on deck to ensure that miscreants do not destroy or cart away the properties of our schools. The security of our schools is our collective responsibility.”
In her remarks, the State’s Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo, said the promise of the Governor to deliberately focus on Education as a major pillar in the Administration’s policy thrust — THEMES Agenda, has well been served within the two years period of the present Administration.
She mentioned that the Administration has demonstrated commitment to fulfilling the promises with such indices as yearly increase in budgetary allocation; completion of all outstanding projects to the highest possible standards; investing in new schools; construction of new school buildings and upgrade of existing ones; and integrating technology into teaching and learning processes.
According to her, the ultimate goal of the State’s purpose is to ensure that all students in schools in the State receive a good education under a good environment.
“It is indeed wonderful to see that these promises are being kept. In less than 2 years, the State has met every one of these promises to a significant extent,” she said.
According to her, “there is hardly any school that was not touched by either a new school building, new classroom block, hostels, security structures, school fence, toilets, furniture, bore holes and so on.”
“This is just the beginning and even more projects will be delivered and commissioned on an annual basis,” she said.
She added that the focus of the Governor extends beyond infrastructure alone to virtually all elements of the value chain of education including teacher recruitment and training, teacher celebration, curriculum review, investment in technology for learning, provision of teachers tablets, among others.
Appreciating Governor Sanwo-Olu for his commitment towards building an education sector that is appreciable, she assured the Ministry under her watch will continue to work to ensure that all promises made are kept.
