Daily Independent Online.
*
Wednesday, July 07, 2004.
Lagos
votes N5 billion for rehabilitation of schools
By Fabian Ozor
Senior
Correspondent, Lagos
The Lagos State
Government has earmarked N5 billion for the rehabilitation of public schools
across the state.
The Governor, Bola
Tinubu, who disclosed this on Tuesday while declaring open the first Lagos
State Education Summit, holding at the Excellence Hotel, Ogba, said the
programme would run for five years.
Tinubu said already
40 schools have been identified as most crucial in need for rehabilitation and
that N1 billion has been approved by the government for their rehabilitation
this year.
He said the
government’s determination to embark on the project was to prepare for
the 21st century, adding that it was also in realisation that education was the
best tool to fight poverty.
“In the 21st
century we have a philosophy on education, a tradition that believes on the
welfare of all citizens, which should be the essence of governance. Education
is the only weapon against poverty. If the society must develop, we must invest
in education,” the governor said.
Tinubu, who stated
that free education was the eternal heritage of the Yoruba land, reaffirmed the
commitment of the government to ensure free education in the state, adding that
it was criminal and immoral to scrap free education.
He lambasted his
colleagues in the South West who have reneged on the legacy of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo to give
all Yoruba citizens free education, describing their actions as criminal and
immoral.
“Late Obafemi
Awolowo never expected anybody in the South West to scrap free education. It is
immoral and criminal to scrap free education and if you believe that education
is the weapon to fight poverty, we must provide it. Education is free in Lagos
and must be free,” he stated.
Tinubu disclosed
that the government has commenced consultations with banks and other big
corporate organisations with a view of convincing them to adopt a school in the
state government’s policy of adopt a school programme.
He also disclosed
that an organisation called Kick Against Truancy (KAT) would soon take-off in
the state, aimed at checking indiscipline among school children, adding that
able bodied men and women would be employed who would drive round Lagos and
arrest any student found in the street during school hours.
Earlier in a
welcome address, the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Kunle Lawal, disclosed
that his ministry has taken some steps aimed at improving educational delivery
in the state.
According to him, a
bilateral agreement was signed between the ministry and some European and
American institutions to improve the curricula of Lagos State University, Lagos
State Polytechnic and Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education.
He disclosed that
20 principals would next month be visiting Nairobi, Kenya to attend the African
Conference of Principals, while two principals and one education officer were
sponsored for the British Council’s organised training on linkage through
sports in Midlands, United Kingdom. The summit ends today.
