Group Calls For Stakeholders Collaboration To Ensure Success Of Oyo Education Initiative.

A socio-cultural group, Oyo Development Initiative, has re-emphasised the need for collaborative efforts of all stakeholders in education sector of Oyo State to come together to save the sector from further degenerating.

The organisation, while addressing the press after its monthly meeting in Ibadan at the weekend, said that the efforts of the Sen. Abiola Ajimobi’s administration to overhaul the sector should be commended, saying that, the Education Reform Committee’s report which vindicated the governor has shown the endemic rot in our educational system in the state.

The Coordinator of the group, Dr Adesola Okanlawon,  said that the report of the committee has told us all that it is expedient to overhaul the education sector for excellent productivity without delay and all stakeholders must join hands with the government to do this.

He said, “the state of our education is saddening, it is so unfortunate that we are in dire need of restructuring to save the ailing sector. We did not know that the situation was so bad until the reform committee submitted its report and made public it highlights. After this, we went to some schools on our own and what we met was a sorry state.

“Education needs restructuring in the state and all stakeholders must have inputs into the process both financially and intellectually. We should stop deceiving ourselves about the government doing it alone. The rot is overwhelming and we all need to support the government.

“We believe there must be are support from groups, individuals, PTAs and corporate organisations towards restoring the lost glory of education in the state. We are the pacesetter and we must set the pace again. We appeal to genuine lovers and supporters of education not to relent and seek for the understanding of all and sundry to ensure that we improve the standard of education in Oyo State. We urge the government to have a structure and create the enabling environment for stakeholders to offer useful support,” Okanlawon added.

Dr Okanlawon stressed that the reduction in the subvention to tertiary institutions to 25% at this particular was inevitable due to the economic situation of the country saying that the management of tertiary institutions should think out of the box and diversify to meet up with their expenditure while not creating hardship for the people.

Said he, “the decision of the government on the reduction caught everyone unaware but on a critical look, it should have happened since. Government revenue had reduced since and the inability of the state to meet its obligations has been noticed for over a year ago. This is affecting our tertiary institutions and government must look for a way out. Continued reliance on subventions from government will not help our tertiary institutions in anyway.”