Ajimobi approves N2bn for renovation, rehabilitation of 100 schools

THE Oyo State Governor, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi said on Sunday that he had approved N2bn for renovation and rehabilitation works of 100 public secondary schools across the 33 Local Government Areas as well as the construction of four compartments VIP toilets.

The governor also disclosed that the project will cost the sum of N1,960,417,772.57, adding that a total of 10 contractors will handle the projects in the one hundred schools across the state.

Mr. Toye Arulogun, the State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, who made the disclosure in Ibadan, said that the governor gave the approval during the State Executive Council meeting held last week.

Arulogun noted that the upgrading of infrastructural facilities in schools to facilitate the provision of the much required enabling learning environment that will fast track the transformation and repositioning of the education sector in Oyo State is non-negotiable, emphasising that the Ajimobi led administration has prioritized education as one of its legacy sectors.

The Commissioner explained that 34 schools will be renovated in schools in LGAs in Ibadan zone, 30 schools from Oke Ogun Zone, 15 from Ogbomoso zone, 12 from Oyo zone while the remaining nine schools are from Ibarapa zone.

He stated that among the schools to be rehabilitated with the construction of four compartments VIP toilets  are Emmanuel Grammar School, Samonda, Anglican Grammar School, Kudeti, Otun Agbaakin Community Grammar School, Akinyele, Fiditi Grammar School, Fiditi, Orayan Grammar School, Progressive Grammar School Tede, Community High School, Alarere, Lagelu Grammar School, Agugu, Jericho High School, Eleyele, Peoples Girls Grammar School, Molete, Igboora High School, Igboora, Baptist High School, Eruwa, Ayete Grammar School, Ayete and Araromi Awotan Community High School, Apete and Iba High School, Saki.

Some of the other schools to be rehabilitated are Anwar-Islam High School, Iseyin, Baptist Grammar School, Out, Ilupeju C.GS, Iwerele, Onjo Community High School, Okeho, Community Grammar School, Lalupon, Ogbomoso Girls Grammar School, Ogbomoso, Molete C.GS, Ogbomoso, Community High School, Iwo-Aye, Muslim C.GS, Igbeti Pegba C.S 1 & II, Pegba, C.G.School, Amuloko, Ifelodun G.S., Igboho, Olorunda CGS, Olorunda, Durbar G. S., Oyo, Ladigbolu G/S. Oyo, Obalufon Grammar School, Okere High School, Saki and CHS, Arolu among others.

Arulogun said that the State’s Bureau of Public Procurement had issued the Certification for the renovation of the one hundred schools, warning that contractors should abide by the project specification and duration.

The government spokesman stressed that the government will not relent in its resolve to positively turn around the education sector, pointing out that government’s efforts are already yielding fruitful results with the recent 54.4% pass rate in WASSCE being the best in the last eighteen years and students from the state being the first and second best in the 2017 WASSCE in Nigeria as well as the best 2017 WASSCE student in a public school celebrated at the recent launch of the State’s Education Trust Fund with scholarships.