Ogun State Government through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology says it has granted approval for the operations of 129 primary and 89 secondary schools in the State between January and June this year.
This is just as all necessary measures had been put in place to ensure the reopening of academic institutions in the State, which were implemented in phases, especially for students in terminal classes preparatory to the forthcoming WAEC examination.
The Management team of the ministry comprising of the Special Adviser, Primary and Secondary Education, Mrs. Ronke Soyombo and her Technical and Vocational Education counterpart, Prof. Joseph Odemuyiwa said this during the ongoing 2020 budget assessment of the Ministry before the members of the State House of Assembly Committee on Education, Science and Technology, led by Hon. Adeyemi Ademuyiwa, at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
They also disclosed that all the ten tertiary institutions in the State have equally put in place all measures, while they explore the virtual learning platforms to engage students in continuation of academic calendars for effective learning process.
They explained that part of the measures devised was to sink boreholes to supply water to the 10- point mechanized hand washing system in the 510 secondary schools, out of which 303 would be used for the examinations with adequate provision of isolation rooms to be managed by 350 newly trained health workers.
Assuring of government’s readiness at providing personal protective kits like facemasks to pupils and teachers, the officials stated that the ministry had provided a web-based system to determine the risk assessment put in place for schools after which certificate of compliance would be subsequently issued by the Ministry.
They added that no fewer than 95 blocks of classrooms had been renovated in public primary and secondary schools across the State within the period.
On the activities of the ministry during the off-school period occasioned by COVID-19, Soyombo said the Education Management Information System in partnership with Microsoft was explored for the runnings of the ongoing DIGIclass- an electronic platform that engaged over 25, 000 primary and secondary teachers to provide resources material including teaching notes for all subjects, with a view to ensuring standard in teaching and learning.
Assuring of more incentives and manpower development programmes including training, she disclosed that plans were underway to have a-15 man committee governing body in schools to provide alternative funding and management plans for secondary school; such would comprise of stakeholders including philanthropists, alumni and representatives of the Parent Teachers Association (PTA).
In their respective comments, the lawmakers commended the initiatives of the ministry, especially in the engagement of student in academic activities via the virtual platforms, they tasked the ministry to improve on her monitoring process to the schools with a view to upholding standard of excellence and academic performance for all categories of students.
They equally urged the Ministry and other agencies under it to orientate residents in the State on the need to tap into the rich potentials of technical education, describing it as a feasible alternative channel for gifted people to explore their skills irrespective of academic qualifications.
