Ajimobi to invest N5.6b on school infrastructure

THE Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi said his administration has earmarked a sum of N5.6billion to spend on school infrastructural development in the state.

The governor stated this on Tuesday in Ibarapa area of the state during commissioning of blocks of school classrooms, solar street light and water boreholes sponsored by Hon. Ayoade Olugbenga Ojoawo, representing Ibarapa Central/ Ibarapa North Federal Constituency in Abuja.

According to the governor who was represented by the State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Adeniyi Olowofela, the infrastructural development will be completed in the next 12 months to wear the schools new looks.

He said: ” this is the demonstration of what government is preaching especially by the Governor Abiola Ajimobi-led government that the issue of education is now a collective responsibility.

“Oyo State is vast and large and in the entire South West, Oyo State has highest number of public secondary and primary schools. When the government constituted the School Governing Board (SGB), the idea was that when all hands are on deck, we will be able to solve the problem of infrastructure and quality assurance in all the 628 secondary schools in the state.

“I want to emphasize that the state government has set aside N5.6billion to be spent on infrastructural development in all schools in the state. Coupled with what individuals like Hon. Ayoade, SGB, Old students and government are doing, we are confident that by the next 12 months, all schools will wear new looks.

“And I also want to emphasize that this year WAEC result is the best since 1999 as the state has 54.18% this year against 21% it scored in 2015. This shows that the effort of the state government is yielding positive results”, the governor said.

Earlier in his address, the facilitator of the projects, Honourable Gbenga Ojoawo who was represented by his Special Adviser, Mrs. Yejide Olarinde informed that the gesture is to key into the recent Private Public Partnership adopted by the state government and adoption of schools for reconstructive academic rejuvenation for the state.

Recounting his achievement, the lawmaker said teacher’s complaint of bad school environment or obsolete school facilities are now things of the past, adding that he has been able to improve on punctuality of the teachers and students through his Iloko’s free shuttle buses across Ibarapa land with provisions of reference books.

He disclosed that his next phase is scholarship, stepping up extra curriculum activities to discover great talents, modern laboratories, effective libraries and computer based centers for technological advancement as necessities for  economic diversification and self reliance.

Ojoawo, however promised not to relent  in touching lives and giving succour to the leaders of tomorrow for extensive positive impacts.