Lagos Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule, has said that the 37 per cent recorded last year in the State in external examinations is unacceptable to the government even as she said that the government is now targeting a minimum of 60 per cent success in students’ performance in all external examinations this year.
Adebule said that in order to achieve the target, the state government has directed Principals, Head teachers and administrators of public secondary and primary schools to double their efforts by rededicating themselves to duty and making effective use of infrastructure and instructional materials provided to improve teaching and learning.
She spoke today while welcoming the Executive members of the All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPS), Lagos State Chapter.
She said that the Government will continue to invest in education, knowing that education is the bedrock of all other development.
Adebule said that apart from embarking on school infrastructure renewal programme across the State, the 17 per cent allocated to the education sector in the year 2016 budget was a further demonstration of government genuine commitment to functional and quality education, urging them to complement the gesture through hard work and professionalism.
She said that the State Executive Council at its last meeting approved the construction of new ultra modern school building to be called IBILE Schools which will be equipped with state of the art learning facilities, in addition to plan to provide and distribute free ICT tablets to students in order to enhance their learning development.
While reassuring schools principals of government’s will to prioritize their welfare both in remunerations and retraining programmes, Adebule urged them to use their position to prevail on their teaching staff to have better attitude to work so that government’s huge investment in education will be justified.
She promised that the state ministry of education under her watch will assist government to implement relevant educational policies that will promote the growth of functional education and rank the State among the best educationally developed States of the world.
Earlier in her address, ANCOPSS President, Mrs. Olayinka Omotunde Lawson explained that the visit was a familiarization visit and to express the support of the association for Government initiatives to improve teaching and learning for better performance.
While commending the State Government for committing resources towards achieving functional and qualitative education, Lawson implored the government to improve the working condition of teachers to engender better performance.
Meanwhile the Deputy Governor has made it clear that the state government would not hesitate to close any recalcitrant private school in the State that failed to meet the basic standard required or abide by stipulated rules and regulations, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule, has warned.
Adebule, who handed down the warning at a stakeholders meeting with proprietors of private schools in the State, said that it has become imperative to strictly enforce laws guiding the operations of private schools in order to ensure high standard and orderliness in the sector.
She decried the unwholesome practices in some private schools, particularly in the conduct of external examinations, saying that many private schools encourage examination malpractices.
According to the Deputy Governor, who also supervises the State Ministry of Education, things can no longer be the same in the operation and regulation of private schools, hence the call for attitudinal change among all stakeholders.
“Teachers are known for discipline, they are known for high values and moral, so government will no longer tolerate indiscipline in the operations and regulations of private schools in Lagos State.”
She expressed hope of an improved working relationship between the State Government and proprietors of private schools, adding that the present administration is more than determined not only to regulate the sector, but also take keen interest in what is going on in the industry.
The Deputy Governor also said that the Office of Education Quality Assurance in the Ministry of Education has now been split into two for efficiency and effectiveness in order to strengthen monitoring and supervisory roles of the Office.
Adebule said the State Government is already working closely with the Department for International Development (DFID) to maintain high standard in the education sector, while it is also putting modalities in place to undertake a census of private schools operating in the State. [myad]
