A non-political group in Oyo state, Greater Oyo State (GOSG) on Thursday described the Oyo state governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde and his government as a monumental failure in the education sector.
The group stated that it was shameful for Oyo state to perform poorly in the 2021 WAEC exams, especially falling behind states like Yobe, Borno and Adamawa which, are considered to be among the nation’s educationally disadvantaged states.
The group while citing dilapidated facilities and inconsistent payment of running grants to school principals as some of the key causes of the dismal academic performance of public school students in the state said the recently completed joint promotion examination where only a few question papers were printed and made available to students was a pointer to Makinde’s deliberate annihilation of the education sector.
The group said, “It is clear that the state’s educational system has crumbled as a result of the elimination of development levy for secondary school students and the hasty outlawing of the wqqqqq Governing Boards (SGBs) because it was an idea conceived by Makinde’s predecessor. About four to five kids share one question paper during exams since schools can no longer afford to print exam question papers. Also, pupils are mandated to bring chalks from home because schools are not able to provide teaching materials and aids for teachers. How can we expect a fantastic performance in such a dire circumstance? This is happening in a state that had a recent reputation for providing high-quality education.
“It is indeed worrisome that the government only pays lip service to education development without actually doing anything other than touting fictitious achievements that only exist in imaginations. We challenge Engr. Makinde to name the locations of the 56 model schools he claimed to have constructed in the last three and half years of his administration. At this critical juncture, the governor should assume responsibilities and offer a high-quality education rather than taking a frivolous holiday in Europe as the state runs aground.
“The education sector in Oyo State has never been this poor. We hope that Engr. Makinde and his administration will revisit the educational policies of previous governors of the state, including Alhaji Lam Adesina, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, Adebayo Alao-Akala, and Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi.”
It will be recalled that Oyo state was rated 33 out of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the 2021 ranking released by WAEC.
The group, in a statement issued by its Convener, Com. Funso Blessing, also criticized the state’s commissioner for information, Wasiu Olatunbosun, and the governor’s chief press secretary, Taiwo Adisa, for making numerous false claims regarding the quality of education in the state, describing the duo as “fiction mongers” who would tell the most heinous lies to keep their jobs.
