Funmi Olaitan, Ibadan

Oyo State government has said its efforts at turning around the education sector in the state is yielding fruitful results as Ibadan, capital of the state, has been adopted as a learning city by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

It also stated that the state will be honoured with the UNESCO institute of lifelong learning progress award.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mrs Bisi Akin Alabi, who made the disclosure, said the recent educational policies embarked upon by Governor Abiola Ajimobi, have brought the state into recognition by UNESCO, adding that policies like School Governing Board (SGB), abolition of automatic promotion, 80 per cent attendance by pupils and Oyo State Model Education System Interventions (OYOMESI) are yielding fruitful results to support educational development in the state.

Akin-Alabi at a stakeholders meeting in Ibadan between the OYOMESI Project Committee and Chairmen of the Schools Governing Board across the state on the need to fashion out how to enrich educational content to uplift the moral values of students, noted that OYOMESI which  encourages positive character building has been fused into SGB programmes.

According to her, the first strand of OYOMESI focuses on Character Building Education, second strand is on Localized Education Content, while the third strand has to do with Improving Teachers' Competencies and Motivation.

She pointed out that all government policies in education including enforcement of 80 per cent attendance, abolition of automatic promotion, Extramural classes, Qualifying Examination, No Free WAEC registration, Zonal Education Monitoring Committees, inauguration of School Governing Board and OYOMESI are to restore the lost glory of the state educational system.

Akin-Alabi, while seeking the support of the SGB chairmen, lauded them for their efforts in ensuring that goals and objectives of government to set up the Schools Governing Board are realized.

Speaking on behalf of the SGB Chairmen, Mr. Oyedele Moses Oyeniran, Chairman, SGB, Community Secondary School (Junior), Bioku Alaadun, Ona-Ara Local Government, commended Governor Ajimobi for his efforts to rebuild the solid foundation for the development of education in the state.

He stated that the SGB concept which gives room for stakeholders' direct participation in schools management has helped a lot, promising that SGB Chairmen will work towards the success of the OYOMESI agenda.