EDUCATION: FAYEMI MAKES CASE FOR STRENGTHENED GOVERNMENT- COMMUNITY SYNERGY
Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has called for a more robust synergy between the state governments and communities; saying that such partnership will enhance quality of education in the country.
Dr Fayemi’s call is in connection with the recommendation of the former Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Prof Modupe Adelabu that there should be a partnership between government and communities in funding education.
Adelabu on Tuesday evening presented Obafemi Awolowo University’s 334th inaugural lecture titled “As it was in the beginning, so it is now: politics and education policies in Nigeria”. at the Oduduwa Hall.
In attendance were Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN); wife of Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, his Oyo State counterpart, Chief Moses Adeyemo, and the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe.
Dr. Fayemi said his administration has continued to seek the buy-in of communities in the quest to ensure that pupils have access to free but qualitative education while also curbing the rate of school drop-outs.
“You cannot do education without the communities. Government can try but the communities must be deeply involved. Almost everything you heard in the lecture are the things we have implemented in Ekiti State; the school based management system that involves the communities, involvement of communities.
“All these we have done in order to ensure that there is a synergy between government and the communities, including the non State school in order to ensure that we can get the best out of our education system”, Fayemi said.
The Governor hailed Prof Adelabu for being a sound academic who has consistently put her research findings to practical use especially during her tenure as chairman of Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board ( SUBEB) and Deputy Governor who superintended the basic education sector in the State.
In her paper, Prof Adelabu who had described education and politics as a Siamese twin said most policies were based on economic and political postulations whose predictions were often not accurate.
The Professor of Educational Management said it is important for policy makers to consider the economic and political implications of their policy decisions before taking and implementing them.
She recommended that anyone who would be appointed as chairman of State Universal Basic Education Boards across the country must have teaching background which will enable them effectively manage the sector.
Speaking on her impact in the Education sector, Prof Adelabu disclosed that she had coordinated over 100 capacity development workshop and trained over 20,000 teachers.
