Francesca Odimgbe
Lagos State government has rolled out plans to start a physical counting exercise of the pupils in the public primary schools kicking off on Monday 13th to Friday 24th November 2023.
The exercise will be held in 1,020 government owned primary schools across the 20 Local Councils in the State to validate the current size of pupils for provision of quality and sustainable basic education.
The state government through the Lagos Bureau of Statistics, LBS has meanwhile employed personnel for the different levels of operation for the survey: Ten Coordinators; Four Evaluators drawn from the Academia; 100 Enumerators; 60 Mobilizers; 20 Monitoring Officers and 20 Education Secretary from the Local Govt Education Authority as Supervisors are engaged in an intensive training workshop to ensure a hitch-free enumeration exercise.
Seeking cooperation and support of all Stakeholders at a One-Day workshop on the’ Physical Headcount of Public Primary School Pupils,’ held at the Protea Hotel, Ikeja, Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ope George said the survey is desirable to understand the needs and challenges faced in the basic education system to enable education authorities and policymakers make informed decisions and allocate resources efficiently.
Represented by Mr. Lekan Balogun, the Special Adviser on Economic Planning to Governor Sanwo-Olu, said “the primary school headcount is not merely a statistical exercise, it is a reflection of our commitment to understanding the needs and challenges faced by our educational institutions. The Primary School Headcount is a critical tool for improving the quality and accessibility of primary education. It enables education authorities, policymakers, and communities to make informed decisions, allocate resources effectively, and ensure that our children have access to a quality education and that no child is left behind.
“This represents a significant milestone in our commitment to providing quality education to the children of Lagos State. It is an occasion that unites us in our collective dedication to ensuring a brighter future for our kids and by extension, our youth.
The Commissioner said state government had made efforts over the years and would continue to boost the capacity of teachers and students systematically and on consistent foundations in accordance with the 21st century realities, while also charging stakeholders including Education Secretaries, Head-Teachers, Education consulting firm, Academia and other experts to forge a strong partnership for a smooth and active participation in achieving a better basic education system in the state.
“The State over the years has engaged highly resourceful consulting outfits to continually build the capacity of both staff and students on regular bases in accordance with the dictates of the 21st century economy as encapsulated under the THEMES plus Agenda.
“Let us all pledge to work together, to collaborate, and to share ideas and solutions for the betterment of our basic education system. Together, we can build a brighter future for our children, ensuring that they have the knowledge and skills to thrive in an ever-changing world,” he said.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ibrahim Obajomo emphasized on the significant benefits of the headcount exercise to allow for vital provision of resource allocation; policy and planning; infrastructure development; evidence-based decision making; identifying enrollment disparities; monitoring attendance; accountability and transparency.
While assuaging fears of stakeholders that all pupils in the public primary schools may not be counted, the Director of Socio-Economic Statistics, Mr. Peter Olowu assured that provisions to enumerate absentees during the exercise had been made to bridge such gaps.