It was commendation and praise galore for the trio of the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the State Commissioner of Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo and the Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary (TG/PS), Education District II, Lagos State, Mrs Anike Adekanye, at the Stakeholders’ meeting of the Education District held at the Government Model College, Owutu, Ikorodu.
The event, which was held on Thursday, July 28, 2022, recorded an impressive attendance of major stakeholders in the education sector across the education district among whom were state government officials, education district II officers, school principals and vice-principals, chairmen and officers of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Education District II, Executive Secretaries of Local Government Education Authorities, chieftains and members of Parents and Teachers Forum, teachers as well as traditional rulers and chiefs and several dignitaries.
While the duo of Governor Sanwo-Olu and Commissioner Adefisayo were commended for providing necessary support in terms of infrastructure and finances which have brought about positive changes that have consequently made teaching and learning conducive in secondary schools across education district II, and Lagos State in general, Mrs. Adekanye, on the other hand, was lauded for the great achievements recorded by the education district under her able leadership.
Since her assumption of office, Mrs. Adekanye has coordinated the affairs of secondary schools under Education District II with professionalism and commitment and these have enabled the schools alongside their teachers and students to record several achievements which have made the Education District the envy of others in the state and country.
It is on record that under the stewardship of Mrs. Adekanye, secondary schools in the District as well as their teachers and students, at various times, have emerged the best in several state and national competitions, a situation which has deservedly earned the district the accolade of District of Excellence.
Notable among these achievements are the best Secondary School, Principal and teacher in Nigeria Awards won by the premier college in Ikorodu, Oriwu Model College, as well as the One Day Governor award for winner of the state’s Spelling Bee Quiz Competition which schools in the district have won on two occasions under Mrs. Adekanye’s leadership.
So, when the education district sent out invitations for a stakeholders’ meeting, no one was left in doubt that there was need for such gathering to take stock and discuss how to further improve performances of schools to build on the latest achievements of the district.
The event took off with prayers by Mr. Olufemi Oyekan from Ayangbure High School, Ikorodu, after which the TG/PS gave her welcome address.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Education, Mrs. Afolasade Adefisayo, while speaking, acknowledged the many successes of the Education District II under the leadership of Mrs. Adekanye whom she described as a diligent and committed officer, while also commending her brilliant performance.
She explained that despite the various challenges facing the education sector in the state, the administration of Governor Sanwo-Olu has performed brilliantly in bringing quality development and interventions to schools across the state, and assured that the government would try it’s best in ensuring that all the schools in the State felt its presence.
According to her, the state government, in its bid to improve teaching and learning in primary and secondary schools in the State, has commissioned over 1,449 projects covering 1,036schools across all 20 LGAs and 3 LCDAs, while the government has also ensured prompt construction, renovation and rehabilitation of dilapidated public schools and the supply of 96,334 dual composite units of furniture to schools among other infrastructure projects.
The Commissioner said that the government’s investment in education is yielding positive results as evident in the performance of the students in the WASSCE/GCE which she said has significantly improved from 38.79% to 81% in 2021 with a minimum of 5 credits, including Mathematics and English. She, however, added that the state is working assiduously to attain 100% results in 2022.
Also in her address, she informed the gathering about the various innovative programmes introduced by the Sanwo-Olu administration to improve education in the State, among which are EKOEXCEL designed to support teachers to achieve better learning outcomes across all public primary schools and the Comprehensive School Programme to reduce the rate of in schools and create a career path for students through skills acquisition.
Mrs. Adefisayo also said that the government has embarked on various capacity building programmes (both local and international) to train and expose teachers to best practices in teaching and education management across board.
And while commending the school principals and teachers as well as parents for their respective efforts in complementing the efforts of the State government in given quality education to school children in Lagos State, she urged them to further improve on the efforts for better results.
Earlier in her welcome address, Mrs. Adekanye described the event as historic in the annals of the education district II, considering the quantum of successes recorded by the district and the quality and impressive attendance at the stakeholders’ meeting.
She particularly expressed her gratitude to Governor Sanwo-Olu for the quality investment that his administration was making towards the development of education in the state, while also commending Mrs. Adefisayo for holding the governor’s mandate to invent and transform education sector in the state by adequately exploring all avenues for development of the education and technology pillar on the THEME Agenda of the Lagos State government.
Mrs. Adekanye stated that schools across the Education District II particularly have witnessed various innovative and infrastructural developments courtesy of the Commissioner’s responsive approach which, according to her, has made teaching and learning appealing to teachers and students.
While also commending the commissioner for the quality of leadership she’s providing in the State’s education sector at this crucial time, she said that Ikorodu division boast of 63 (57%) out of the 110 secondary schools in the District, stating that education development in the division is critical to achieving the goals of education in Education District II and Lagos State.
The TG/PS, who spoke fluently and excitedly in both Yoruba and English languages and reflected her gratitude to the Governor, education commissioner and other stakeholders at intervals during the address, equally thanked Oba Kabiru Shotobi, the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Semiudeen Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, and other traditional rulers in the District as well as traditional chiefs and parents forum for their support in ensuring that children in secondary schools in the district are given quality education.
While speaking on the importance of the Permanent Voters card, she urged both the teachers and parents in the district to ensure that they obtain theirs, particularly to enable them vote for the reelection of Governor Sanwo-Olu to ensure the continuity of the development which education sector is currently witnessing in the State.
To end the address, Mrs. Adekanye requested for more support and contributions from all the parents and other stakeholders towards Governor Sanwo-Olu’s dream of building an empire of success in education sector in Lagos State and also towards enabling Education District II to achieve greater results.
Also speaking briefly, Dr. Folasade Cooker of the Lagos State internal Revenue Service (LIRS), commended parents for the timely and regular payment of their taxes, stating that the taxes have enabled the government to turn the education sector in the State around for good.
She urged them to always ensure that they pay their taxes promptly and as at when due so that government can continue to provide quality education for their children while urging them to also present their tax payment evidence while processing admission for their children into public schools in the State.
Also at the event, a few minutes documentary on the laudable achievements of the education district II was shown to the audience on a big projector while a goodwill message and question and answer session was also held.
Contributions by parents bothered on the need for fences, infrastructure and security in schools and the Commissioner, in her response, assured that the government would do the needful in that regard.
Also, Comrade Olufemi Fakolade, the Ikorodu NUT Chairman who spoke on behalf of his fellow chairmen in the education district II, disclosed that the reason for the perennial harmonious relationship between the union and Lagos State government is the government’s sustained and uncompromised commitment towards the provision of quality education in the State and teachers welfare; while he also commended the governor for the prompt payment of upgraded salaries to the newly promoted teachers in the state.
Also, the trio of Ayangbure of lkorodu, Ranodu of Ikorodu and Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, in their separate remarks, commended Governor Sanwo-Olu and Commissioner Adefisayo for the improvement of the state’s education sector while assuring them of the continued support of traditional rulers and people of the state. They also applauded Mrs Adekanye for the successes recorded by the education district II under her watch and particularly for organising the stakeholders’ meeting to discuss how to further move education forward in the district.
Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), equally commended the State government for its commitment to education and the education district II for holding the stakeholders’ meeting.
The former Senator who is an alumni of the Oriwu College, Ikorodu, informed the Commissioner of Education that he and other former students of the college are ready to partner with the state government to bring further development to their alma mater.
The Ikorodu-Oga Development Association (IKODASS) Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Erogbogbo, also speaking at the event, thanked Mrs. Adefisayo for her support for the various educational programmes and projects of the association and assured that the association would continue to support the state government’s drive for quality education development in schools across the state.
Also at the event were Mr. Afolabi Amusa, Executive Secretary, Ikorodu LGEA, Chief Monzor Olowosago, Publisher, Oriwu Sun, Hon. Nurudeen Solaja, member, Lagos State House of Assembly (represented by Comrade Olowu) and Mr. Adeleke Oluseun Kara, Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) member among others.