Meantime, Governor Babatunde Fashola
of Lagos State, reiterated his administration’s commitment to continue to give
priority attention to the education sector, saying students from the state
public schools are now academic champions winning national competition awards.
Fashola said this when he received
Olabanji, accompanied by his parents, who came first in the competition,
initiated in 2001 by New Era Foundation under the leadership of Senator Oluremi
Tinubu.
Fashola vacated his seat for the
young Olabanji, whose father is a carpenter and mother, a refuse truck driver
with Lagos Waste Management Agency (LAWMA), to preside over Lagos State
Executive Council meeting at the Exco Chamber with his Deputy Opeyemi Blessing
of Keme Balogun College at Igbogbo, Ikorodu and Macaulay Elijah Ayodele of
Ojota Senior Secondary School.
He said the traditional thing
prevalent in the country with a change of government would have been to quickly
do away with the idea, saying he retained the One‑Day Governor initiative of
his predecessor because of its positive impacts in the lives of the students
who participate in the competitions.
According to him, “the seed that has
been sown will germinate in ways we cannot contemplate, seeds of career choice
decisions whether to serve in public sector or private sector.
“One thing that we need to point out
is that the state’s public education system is producing excellent results.
This is in spite of its challenges. Of the 14,000 schools in the state, it is
only about 2,000 that belongs to the government.
“But those 2,000 schools are the
ones that are providing free education where free textbooks are given, where
tuition is free, where children participate in different clubs, climate change
clubs, farmer’s club, Energy club and Be Road Friendly Club. This happens at no
cost to the children.
“It is not only one day governor
that we celebrate. We celebrate Master David, a national champion in Physics in
the NNPC science competition tested against other students in Nigeria.”
He said story of the success of the
children from the state educational system has spurred them to remain focussed,
saying other potentials will mature in the fullness of time.
Fashola explained that the state
education system thrives on diversity, saying the education process is merit
driven, ethnic, religious and gender blind but simply developing younger
generation for a greater tomorrow.
The governor stressed that his
administration had ensured that no child desirous of having education had been
left behind, saying that explains why the one day governor, whose father is a
carpenter and mother, a refuse truck driver with Lagos Waste Management Agency
(LAWMA), could emerge the winner of the competition.
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