The Ogun State House of Assembly has revealed that the newly proposed Principal-General Establishment Bill, when enacted, will significantly raise the morale of public secondary school teachers while enhancing the management and supervision of the state’s four educational zones.
This move is seen as a key step toward achieving the government’s qualitative education goals.
While opening the stakeholders’ forum on the bill titled “H.B. No. 016/OG/2024 – The Principal-General Establishment Law, 2024,” the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, emphasized the importance of the bill.
He stated, “This bill seeks to create the Office of Principal-General in Ogun State, a strategic initiative aimed at advancing our education sector.”
The forum, held at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, provided a platform for gathering insights from various stakeholders to enrich the legislative process.
According to Speaker Elemide, the bill aims to establish four positions for Principals-General, whose responsibilities will drive the advancement of education in the state.
He expressed confidence that the stakeholders’ contributions would ensure a comprehensive and impactful law.
The bill’s sponsor, Assembly Minority Leader Lukman Adeleye, echoed the Speaker’s sentiments, describing the bill as long overdue.
“This is a right step in the right direction to further improve the educational standard of Ogun State,” Adeleye stated, reinforcing the need for a robust educational framework to support the state’s ongoing development efforts.
The proposed functions of the Principals-General include “supervising educational activities, ensuring compliance with state educational policies, overseeing school performance within the zones, implementing educational programs, and coordinating with other educational authorities to enhance standards,” according to Adeleye.
Various stakeholders at the forum lent their support to the bill, with notable contributions from Mr. Timothy Olatunji, representing the body of Permanent Secretaries; Mr. Muftau Towolawi of the Ministry of Finance; Commissioner 1 of the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), Mr. Adeola Akintonde; and Dr. (Mrs.) Ayodele Womiloju, representing the Principals-General.
Other key voices included representatives from the Association of Retired Heads of Service, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), and Barr. James Mafe from the Ministry of Justice.
These contributors stressed the need for the bill to encourage teachers to reach the peak of their careers through the establishment of the Principal-General office.
They also cautioned that the proposed law should align with constitutional provisions to ensure its sustainability and effectiveness.
