ONDO EDUCATION SUMMIT : WHICH WAY FORWARD. ..
The just concluded education summit in Ondo state has ended with divided opinions and series of missed feelings on both the government, the governed and all stakeholders over the summit .
The Summit that has arrays of educationists from far and near , with other relevant stakeholders, came up with nineteen (19) points communique, that wrapped around it self telling the people of not ready to take the shoulder of Education, even at all levels.
Morenike Omoleye, is a great grandfather mother of 95 years, living at Okedogbon Street in Owo town , speaking in her cracky and shaking voice said all that her children and grandchildren and great grandchildren achieved is through the instance of free education and other education policies of subsequent Goverment in the state and country.
Education is the only best legacy a parent, guradian, community or government can hand-over to the children,wards, and the people for a peaceful and better future. Bimpe Ojo, a a university Don posits.
The 2-day Education Summit consisting of all stakeholders held on Thursday 26th & Friday 27th,October 2017 at the International Cultural and Event Centre, Akure,with following points in the communique,
That the issue of Education funding is too important to be left in the hands of Government alone if we must achieve functionality in education. It must be the business of all stakeholders.
That Government should fund education at the Primary school level while parents should be responsible for the education of their children at the Secondary and Tertiary levels.
That there should be a review of chargeable fees in State's tertiary institutions in line with the needs of each school and current economic realities.
That the issue of return of schools to their original owners requires further engagement amongst stakeholders in order to arrive at amicable and workable solution.
That State Government; International Development Patners; Non Govermental Organisations;and spirited individuals should collaborate in the training and retraining of teachers; school Administators/Education Managers in order to update their knowledge on contemporary issues on education.
That Community involvement in Quality Assurance support to schools is desirable and should complement the monitoring and supervision roles of the Ministry of Education Science & Technology to enhance quality of instruction in schools.
That State Government, Philanthropists, Old Students Association, PTA and Corporate Organizations should embark on aggressive renovation/reconstruction of dilapidated school structures to make such schools learners friendly.
That Mega schools in the State should be put into more functional,optimal and better use by government to address the current state of underutilization of some of them.
That Examination Ethics and Disciplinary Committee should be strengthened in the Ministry and schools to checkmate incidences of examination malpractice.
That State Government should recruit teachers to fill all relevant vacancies in public primary and secondary schools. Amongst other issues raised in the communique of the Summit.
However, with all this reason, the public noted that already fees were been levied in public primary, secondary and tetiary schools across the state, the least paid fees in schools in the state is #4,000 per child,
While freshers, therefore JSS 1 students pay least of #50,000, while in some schools they pay up to #85,000 , and this are all public secondary schools in the state, even such schools are in Akure the state capital, where series
of such fees were levied. The question is, who authorised the fees and where are the fees ? . Pastor Ayeniwon Ajayi questioned.
While in his reaction, the Ondo State Chairman of the parents teachers association and National Vice president of the association, Alhaji Abimbola Omoloja noted that the association will resist any attempt to further hike fees of Education in the state.
Ondo state citizenry are now calling on the state government to be sincere and magnanimous enough,and come-up with a definite stand on education thrust in the state, bare in mind the economic situation.
15) That the Ministry should enforce the cancellatioñn of automatic promotion of students in schools while the conduct
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