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Kwara State Governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has reiterated his commitment to qualitative education across the state.
The Governor stated this on Thursday, at the First Kwara Education Future Summit, themed: “Securing and Investing in the Next Generation” held at the state capital.
Abdulrazaq who hinted on the possibility of his administration’s resolve to adopt technology in the teaching and administration of kwara schools, said such measure would not only improve educational standard but also curb instructors and administrators from being work-shy.
“Already, we are building a legal framework to support our efforts. We now have a bill for a law to establish Kwara State Education Trust Fund. When passed, this fund will supplement the sector’s finance, promote technologies, and leapfrog the sector’s development through our Kwara Education Transformation Agenda (KWETA) plan.”
While noting that huge gaps still exist, Abdulrazaq explained that “the recent school census across four local government areas show that 41% of our teachers are absent at their duty post. No single teacher was seen in 54 of the 368 schools sampled, while 23% of students on head teachers’ record were not in school during the census. Only 15% of the schools sampled were rated as needing no repair, implying that 85% of our classrooms require various forms of rehabilitation. The picture is bleaker when you consider availability or adoption of technology in our schools. The gender parity index for ratio of girls to boys in our school is another source of worry.”
He further explained that, the huge set back necessitated his first preoccupation in office to check up on the state of schools which were in a sorry state.
“As a show of our commitment to education, we have recently surpassed the UNESCO budgetary threshold of 26%. Even so, it is clear that the government cannot do this alone,” Abdulrazaq stated.
The governor expressed confidence in the future of education in the state saying that the best brains and hands are working on it.
Dignitaries at the event include; Special Adviser to the President on Social Investment, Hajiya Mariam Uwais, the Deputy Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly Hon. Raphael Adetiba , Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Saadatu Modibbo Kawu, Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Senior Ibrahim Sulyman, Oba of Ajase-ipo Oba Ismail Yahaya Muhammed Atoloye Alebiosu, Emir of Kaiama Alhaji Muazu Sheu Umar, Chairman Kwara House of Assembly Committee on Education, Hon. Baba Boriya, Kwara SUBEB Chairman, Prof. Sheu Adaramaja, TESCOM Chairman, Taoheed Bello, Makama of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Oniye, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Education Intervention, Fela Bank-Olemoh, Hon. Abdulwahab Opakunle, among others.
