Yemisi Izuora
Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat has reiterated the determination of the State Government to ensure that the public primary education system excels in terms of quality products.
Stating that, it is a known proposition that the best period to lay the foundation for quality education is the first ten years, the Deputy Governor, noted that many of Nigeria’s leaders were products of the public primary education system.
The Deputy Governor, who Stated this while receiving Chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEB) in the South West, also hinted at efforts to protect public Schools from the various security challenges.
He stated that walls are already being built where none exists while others are to be fortified.
While also commending the effort of the South West SUBEB in forging a unified front, the Deputy Governor said education is critical to the South West region and such interaction will ensure a synergy between the education of the region.
He emphatically urged all the Chairman to ensure that cultism is wiped out of the school system in the South West.
Speaking also on the introduction of geo-referenced tabloids for teachers in the primary School system, Hamzat stated that it would allow the State to manage better the delivery quality of teachers while also allowing the collection of high quality data to aid planning.
He urged the Board Chairmen to continue to foster integration and common front in dealing with the challenges of primary education in the South West region.
Earlier in his remarks, the Dean of the Group and Chairman of Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr Nureni Adeniran, who said they are in the State for the quarterly meeting of the Group, disclosed that the purpose of the Group was to forge a common front in dealing with issues of primary education in the South West adding too that they collectively act to attract the attention of the federal Government.
While commending various efforts of the State Government to enhance basic education in the state especially the Eko Excel Programme, the Dean urged the State Government to sustain the prompt payment of counterpart funding for SUBEB.
He further urged state Governments in the region to take proactive measures in ensuring safety in schools across the region by providing perimeter fencing/walls in basic schools as well as integrated security systems involving State and non-State actors.
According to Adeniran, the United front being adopted by the body has no political affiliation but aimed at ensuring that the region remains a pace setter in the education sector in the country.