Determined to deliver approved educational outcomes in line with his T.H.E.M.E.S pillars of governance agenda, The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has expressed the State Government’s readiness to collaborate and partner with the private sector stakeholders in the education sector.
Sanwo-Olu says by increasing the budgetary allocation to Education and supporting programmes like Eko-Excel initiative – Excellence in Child Education and learning, he demonstrates his commitment to this important sector.
The governor while speaking at the Year 2020 Education Public-Private Partnership Dialogue in Lagos Tuesday stated that the first “E” in the T.H.E.M.E.S pillars of governance agenda represents the administration’s commitment to reform the education sector for an overall objective of a Greater Lagos.
According to Sanwo-Olu, “So far, 60,000 chairs and table units had been distributed to some schools and promised that a hundred thousand units are targeted before the year ends”.
“To better encourage Teachers in Public Schools, Sanwo-Olu promised that designs for Teacher’s quarters within the School premises would soon commence. He added that his administration would give 20 cars to best-performing teachers across the 20 Local governments in the State”, Sanwo-Olu said.
Earlier, the Honourable Commissioner for Education, Folasade Adefisayo while presenting the BOS Education Transformation Plan (BOSETP) needs of Education reeled out the efforts and achievements of the Ministry since coming onboard. Adefisayo revealed that the Ministry had begun the construction and upgrade of public schools and in view the commissioning of a new school.
“Reviewing and optimising the curriculum, organising, instituting better school governance and administration and improving the capacity and welfare of students and school personnel investment in technology and state of arts training and induction of teachers through the Eko-Excel are few of the Ministry’s achievements.” She concluded.
Akindayomi Afolabi one of private-sector Partners in her presentation at the event promoted inclusive education and called for an increase in the funding for Special Schools and Inclusive Units.
Afolabi expressed readiness to serve and transform schools by bringing skills and experience to achieve sustainability in the sector, adding that the education reform team will adopt 10 Secondary schools and prepare them for the workplace.
In the highlight of his keynote address, he stressed that as policymakers and private sector professionals, there is need to ensure that emerging generations of young people are exposed to the same high-quality educational opportunities with a comprehensive and well-rounded education that involves the impartation of skills such as empathy, leadership, self-confidence as well as inculcating values and ethics in young adults.
He harped on the need for support resources and the feedback of the Private Sector to achieve lofty ambitions which require strategies for achievements of set goals through supportive and seamless means for attainable outcomes.
Sanwo-Olu outlined areas which stakeholders in the Private Sector can collaborate with Government; adopting schools and teacher training centre to fund, equip and upgrade; providing accommodation; donating equipment and technology tools. Funding a Lagos State Teachers’ Welfare Fund; sponsoring work experience schemes for students and teachers, sponsoring Local and International exchange programmes; investing in Special Needs Education; providing consultancy services for monitoring and evaluation, capacity development, data gathering and analysis.
