The Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, has been awarded the 2020 best Governor on Education in Nigeria by the National Parents’ Teachers Association, for his landmark achievement in the Education Sector.
President of the association, Chief Adeola Ogunbanjo, who presented the award to the Governor in his office at Oke-Mosun, Abeokuta, acknowledged the innovative ideas brought to bear in the sector while highlighting, free education, stoppage of education levies, the offering of automatic employment to best graduating students in higher institutions, renovation of schools and increase in students enrollment, as some of the factors that led to the award.
Ogunbanjo said: “We have observed your landmark achievements in the education sector. You did not only make education free, but you also stopped payment of education levies, employed the best graduating students in our higher institutions and you are renovating schools.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, no incident was recorded in Ogun schools. Of course, this is possible because you brought your managerial skills into play. We see you as an education-friendly governor and that is why we are giving you this award as the best Governor in education for 2020”, Ogunbanjo explained.
The PTA President, who called for the inclusion of the association in the scheme of things in the state, described the “OgunDIGI” Class as an innovation that kept students in the state busy during the pandemic, calling for adoption by other states.
Responding, Governor Abiodun said his administration would focus on technical and vocational education as a means of taking the youth out of the unemployment market.
Abiodun, who described technical and vocational training as one of the ways of engaging the youth positively, noted that his administration has revitalized some of the technical colleges to train artisans and also set up a TechHUB facility to enable youths leverage on Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
The governor said the ongoing rehabilitation of primary schools across the state was to provide the right environment for teaching and learning, assuring that the gesture would be extended to secondary schools and technical colleges.
Abiodun also informed that the government was working towards a uniform curriculum, while fiber optics cable was currently being laid to educational institutions, to enable students to have access to Internet service and allow for e-learning.
He called on the association to partner with the state by offering useful advice that would help to further reposition the sector.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), had in October 2019, declared Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki as the Best Performing Governor nationwide, citing his outstanding roles in improving basic education and teacher’s welfare in the state.
