Teachers Day: Ogun to build 900 smart classrooms in four schools

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State says he has approved the construction of 12 blocks of 900 smart classrooms in four schools in each zone across the state.

Abiodun, represented by the deputy governor Noimot Salako, stated this at the Teachers’ Day celebration on Saturday held at the Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta.

The four benefiting schools are Abeokuta Grammar School, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta; Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode; Remo Secondary School, Sagamu; and Yewa College, Ilaro.

The governor also announced the absorption of 1,000 OgunTeach scheme interns into the State Teaching Service Commission, bringing the total to 5,000 since the inception of the administration.

Speaking further, the governor said approval has been given for the renovation of all special schools and an increment in the feeding allowance of pupils in special schools to make them feel a sense of belonging.

Abiodun agreed to pay transport allowances to all public school teachers in place of the work-free days currently being enjoyed by other state government workers.

He said he had done a lot to improve welfare of teachers, including the approval of the Ogun State Education Intervention Fund, the successful conduct of the BECE with the introduction of OMR (Optical Mark Reader) sheets, and the installation of ICT facilities in preparation for the flag-off of Nigeria Learning Passport for e-contents.

On why his administration did not access the 2020 UBEC funds, the governor said, “You recall that when I assumed office, this state had not accessed the 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 funds. Shortly after I assumed office, we paid the counterpart funding for those four years, and we accessed the funding. The current one we are implementing is for 2018 and 2019.

“What I noticed is that most of the contracts were abandoned because of inflation; the pricing was not realistic. That was my number one observation.

“My second observation was that despite all these interventions, every now and then, you would see an Ogun State school in the news. You would see Ogun State learners sitting on 9-inch blocks and learning in schools without roofs, despite the fact that we have accessed UBEC or SUBEB funding.

“I realised that something had to be wrong, and what was that? I realised that the schools that were being built were not the worst of the worst schools.

“We put a hold on the programme, and I set up a task force headed by the Head of Service, and I mandated them to go around the nooks and crannies of the state and identify the worst of the worst schools so that we are no longer embarrassed.”

“I am pleased to announce to you that the new work plan for UBEC that reflects our peculiarities has now been approved. So, two things we will be achieving: all the abandoned schools and projects from the 2018 and 2019 plans will now have a methodology for rewarding and completing them, and the 2020 work plan will now reflect the worst of the worst schools.”