Kayode Olopade
In the past four academic years, the Lagos State Government has spent over N4.2B on the payment of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) fees of candidates in public schools.
For the 2024 WAEC examination, the government has also approved over one billion naira for the same purpose.
The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Tolani Ali-Balogun disclosed this in Alausa, Ikeja at the Ministerial press briefing held on the achievements of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the first year of his second term in office.
By committing such an amount of money to the payment of WAEC fees, the Commissioner noted the government has demonstrated that it prioritizes education.
He also revealed that the Ministry has continued to reform education policy in line with global best practices and conformity with the state’s education laws for efficiency.
While stressing that the government is keen on ensuring that all children receive qualitative education, All-Balogun disclosed that in the year under review, twelve private schools had been shut down for safety infractions and illegal operations.
He also maintained that the Sanwo-Olu administration’s education transformation plan and its expected deliverables have focused on policy shift, addressing short-medium, and long-term challenges to the provision of qualitative education in the State.
Ali-Balogun emphasized that much attention is being given to the girl-child and school safety. He added that basic infrastructure in public schools had been upgraded while more facilities were also being put in place or rehabilitated across the State’s Education Districts.
The Commissioner also noted that the government is reviewing books to select and approve those appropriate for a better curriculum.
“We are also providing learning devices, which has led to a remarkable increase in the rate of students’ enrollment in public schools”, he said.
Ali-Balogun restated the government’s commitment to the welfare of public school teachers, stressing that deliberate efforts have been made in that direction.
On bullying, he was emphatic in his condemnation of the dastardly act, noting that it is not acceptable and that it will not be condoned in any school in the State.
While shedding light on the government’s efforts in school rehabilitation, the Chairman, Lagos State Special Committee on Rehabilitation of Public Schools (SCRPS), Mr. Hakeem Smith noted that Governor Sanwo-Olu has commissioned some new schools built from scratch by his administration.
He listed the schools to include Elemoro Community Junior Secondary School, Ibeju-Lekki, Vetland Junior School, Agege, Oke-Odo Junior High School, Coates Street, Ebute Metta, and Musade Odugate Government Junior High School among others.
“Currently, we are also building new schools in Otumara (Ebute Metta), Elemoro Senior School (Ibeju Lekki), and Egbin (Ikorodu)”, Smith added.