The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has approved the construction of 12 blocks of 900 smart classrooms in four schools in each zone across the state.

The four benefiting schools are Abeokuta Grammar School, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta; Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode; Remo Secondary School, Sagamu; and Yewa College, Ilaro.

The governor also approved Monday, October 6, 2024, as a work-free day to enable teachers to celebrate the day.

Governor Abiodun made the announcement at this year’s Teachers’ Day celebration held at the Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta.

The governor also announced the absorption of 1,000 OgunTeach scheme interns into the State Teaching Service Commission, bringing the total to 5,000 since the inception of the administration.

Speaking further, the governor said approval has been given for the renovation of all special schools and an increment in the feeding allowance of pupils in special schools to make them feel a sense of belonging.

Abiodun, who acknowledged the contributions of teachers in molding the character of future generations, agreed to pay transport allowances to all public school teachers in place of the work-free days currently being enjoyed by other state government workers.

While noting that his administration has repositioned the education sector to serve the people better, he listed the Ogun Digitalized Multimedia Lesson Plan, where teachers would be equipped with the necessary resources to deliver effectively with centralized and digitized lesson plans, and the construction of the Central Education Management Information System (EMIS) for data gathering, analysis, and presentation, as part of the achievements in the sector.

Other achievements, according to Governor Abiodun, include the approval for the Ogun State Education Intervention Fund, the successful conduct of the BECE with the introduction of OMR (Optical Mark Reader) sheets, and the installation of ICT facilities in preparation for the flag-off of Nigeria Learning Passport for e-contents.

On why his administration did not access the 2020 UBEC funds, the governor said: “You recall that when I assumed office, this state had not accessed the 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 funds. Shortly after I assumed office, we paid the counterpart funding for those four years, and we accessed the funding. The current one we are implementing is for 2018 and 2019.

“What I noticed is that most of the contracts were abandoned because of inflation; the pricing was not realistic. That was my number one observation.

“My second observation was that despite all these interventions, every now and then, you would see an Ogun State school in the news. You would see Ogun State learners sitting on 9-inch blocks and learning in schools without roofs, despite the fact that we have accessed UBEC or SUBEB funding.

“I realized that something had to be wrong, and what was that? I realized that the schools that are being thrown up were not the worst of the worst schools.

“We put a hold on the program, and I set up a task force headed by the Head of Service, and I mandated them to go around the nooks and crannies of the state and identify the worst of the worst schools so that we are no longer embarrassed.

“I am glad to tell you that the exercise has now been completed, and I had to personally call the UBEC Chairman and tell him that we had to rework our work plan, and that work plan has to reflect our peculiarities in Ogun State. We must not have schools that are not conducive for academic planning anymore.

“I am pleased to announce to you that the new work plan for UBEC that reflects our peculiarities has now been approved. So, two things we will be achieving: all the abandoned schools and abandoned projects from the 2018 and 2019 plans will now have a methodology for rewarding and completing them, and the 2020 work plan will now reflect the worst of the worst schools.”

While calling on all to reflect on the profound impact of education on individuals and the pivotal role of teachers in shaping not just the lives of children but the entire nation, the governor acknowledged the immense challenges in the teaching profession, noting, however, that despite the obstacles, teachers remain unwavering, ensuring that every child, regardless of background, has the chance to thrive.

“We believe that education is the bedrock of any meaningful socio-political and economic development, and teachers are the architects of that foundation. As Nelson Mandela rightly stated, ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.’

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting educators through our ‘Building Our Future Together’ Agenda. Investing in education is an investment in the future of Ogun State. That is why we continue to improve teachers’ salaries, fund training programs, and ensure that every classroom is well-equipped,” Governor Abiodun assured.

In his opening remarks, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, noted that the theme of this year’s celebration aligns with the administration’s policy of engendering a new social order not only in the education sector but the whole state, appreciating teachers for their steadfastness in discharging their duties and the state government for repositioning the education sector.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Comrade Felix Agbesanwa, noted that the Dapo Abiodun-led administration has been mindful of teachers’ welfare through regular payment of salaries, promotions, and both foreign and local training for teachers.

He appreciated the present administration for recruiting more teachers through the OgunTeach scheme, renovating schools, and bringing sanity to the schools through the signing of undertakings by parents and students.

The Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) in the state, Comrade Sewakanu Oladipupo, said the day was set aside by the United Nations to celebrate the immense contributions of teachers in nation-building, adding that despite the present economic crunch, the administration has made the welfare of teachers and the education sector a priority.

The Chairman of the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), Evang. Lekan Ifede, in his goodwill message, described Ogun teachers as the best in the country, while his counterpart from the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Femi Majekodunmi, lauded Governor Abiodun for investing heavily in the education sector over the last five years, which has shown in the performance of learners in various examinations and other academic activities.

Highlights of the celebration included the awarding of cash prizes to teachers, schools, and administrators who performed excellently in the previous academic year.