Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun has charged school principals under the aegis of the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) to work together to reflect on the rising level of immorality and look out for ways to tackle the menace in the interest of the society.
Abiodun gave this charge on Wednesday in Abeokuta during the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) South West Mandatory Continuing Professional Training (MCPT) with the theme, “Emerging Administrative and Management Innovations and Techniques for Handling Contemporary Issues and Challenges in Secondary Education”.
The governor noted that there.was also need for the principals to look at how handiwork and craft would help develop the self discipline of children.
“As you share experiences on how to build the school curriculum, let us also reflect on the rising level of immorality and virtues and how to tackle it in the collective interest of our peace, security and societal development.
“We need to address these and save our society from the abyss, let us also think of how handwork and crafts, agriculture and entrepreneurship can help our children develop self discipline and independence, ” he said.
Noting that secondary schools are at the center of the education system, the governor emphasised that the secondary school system is the education transition from the foundation, primary education and tertiary education that always addresses any challenge that arises in the primary education.
He disclosed that his administration in the last thirty-eight months has directly intervened in the education sector with the promotion of primary and secondary teachers for 2016 and 2017, while his administration has also cleared the 2018, 2019 and 2020 promotion exercises.
The governor further disclosed that the Ogun State Teaching Service Commission has commenced the compiling of the list of both teaching and non teaching staff eligible for the 2021 and 2022 promotion exercises, adding that his administration has improved the conduct of its basic education certificate examination through the use of OMR sheets.
Abiodun, while noting that the Ogun State Revitalisation Agenda has enabled his administration to set up the Ogun State Central Education Management Information System which allows data gathering, analysis and presentation, said that the Education Trust Fund would soon be launched in the state.
“It is important for the government to set aside a sinking fund that would allow us to address the infrastructural deficit and the welfare needs of our education sector. To that extent, we will be having an education summit at which we will launch the trust fund. We will also at that point launch our Central Educational Information Management System which includes our E-dossier,” he said.
Abiodun, however, called on the school principals to ensure discipline in their schools and the society at large, urging parents and guardians to cooperate with school administrators in the upbringing of their children.
He reiterated that his administration would continue to support and create the needed conducive ambience for its educational system, submitting that his administration has renovated over one thousand schools and provided over 25,000 desks and chairs to schools across the state.
In her welcome address, the Ogun State President of the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools(ANCOPSS), Dr. Ayodele Womiloju, who noted that the Mandatory Continuing Professional Training (MCPT) is aimed at ensuring that all principals in public secondary schools in the country are well equipped to face the various challenges of administration, added that the theme of the conference would focus on enhancing the administrative skills of principals.
While adding that principals need dynamism which is related to the skills they would use, Womiloju said that the skills of the 21st Century administrative management would help principals to perform better.
She commended Governor Abiodun for being a realistic goal-getter, adding that the passion the governor demonstrates for the education sector is highly commendable.
The National President of ANCOPSS, Alhaji Mohammed Musa, who was represented by the Treasurer of the association, Emmanuel Aremu and the South West Zonal Chairman of ANCOPSS; Mrs Folashade Morenikeji, noted that the Mandatory Continuing Professional Training (MCPT) is a unique exercise which would help to equip principals with modern administrative skills to run their various schools.
The highlight of the event was the launching of the TRACE Club.