ONDO CPS, PRINCE EBENEZER ADENIYAN HIGHLIGHTS AIYEDATIWA'S ACHIEVEMENTS IN EDUCATION SECTOR

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ONDO CPS, PRINCE EBENEZER ADENIYAN HIGHLIGHTS AIYEDATIWA’S ACHIEVEMENTS IN EDUCATION SECTOR

300 DAYS OF LAYING SOLID FOUNDATION FOR DEVELOPMENT IN ONDO STATE (3)

HIGHLIGHTS

– N3.5b fund for primary school projects
– N1.2b to complete OSUSTECH’s abandoned projects
– N1b for UNIMED Senate building
– Increment in subvention for tertiary institutions
– N550m WAEC fees for 26,088 students
– N335m for scholarship and bursary
– Bursary increment from N10,000 to N20,000
– N100, 000 for scholarship beneficiaries
– N100, 000 for law school students
– N75, 000 for students with disabilities
– N373m for OSOPADEC bursary & scholarship
– 2,000 school teachers being recruited
– 3 months salary arrears paid for RUGIPO staff
– Extension of years of service for teachers
– 5 new buses for school free shuttle
The education sector of Ondo State is witnessing a rejuvenation with the ongoing recruitment of about two thousand teachers into public primary and secondary schools to rescue the sector from acute shortage of teachers. Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has said that his administration recognizes education as the cornerstone of development, stressing that it is the key to unlocking the potential of young people.

The Governor said this during the official flag-off ceremony for the award of bursary, scholarship, and financial assistance to 11, 200 students of Ondo State origin in tertiary institutions across the country. The five categories of the scholarship and bursary payment gulped a sum of N335million. The Governor had increased the annual bursary of the students from N10,000 to 20,000 while students with disabilities would get N75,000 each and scholarship beneficiaries would get 100,000 each.

Governor Aiyedatiwa said: “Many of our students face significant financial challenges in pursuing their academic dreams. That is why we have these bursary and scholarship awards, as well as financial assistance, to provide support, alleviate financial burdens, and enable our students to focus on their studies. These awards are a testament to our commitment to investing in the future of our State and our country. We must ensure that our students have access to quality education and the necessary support to excel in their academic pursuits.”

This came just as the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) successfully disbursed a total sum of N373 as bursary to 5,928 students from the mandate areas studying in various tertiary institutions across the country. Beneficiaries of the scheme for the 2022/2023 academic session included undergraduate students in Colleges of Education, Health Institutions, Polytechnics, and Universities. Other beneficiaries are PGD, Law School, Master Degree and Ph.D students. While a total sum of N320m was appropriated to students in the undergraduate categories, N53m was disbursed to students in the postgraduate brackets.

Also, the State Government released the sum of five hundred and fifty million (N550,000,000) for the payment of 2024 WAEC fees for students in the public secondary schools to alleviate the financial burden of parents and guardians. The State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr Olaolu Akindolire, said Governor Aiyedatiwa paid for 26,088 students that sat for the 2024 WASSCE Examination in the state public schools.

Meanwhile, as part of the administration’s effort to provide quality education to school children in the state, the Ondo State Government, through the Ministry of Transport, handed over five additional free school shuttle buses to benefitting communities. Performing the handing over ceremony, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transport, Hon. Olugbenga Omole, thanked Governor Aiyedatiwa for deploying the additional new luxury buses, which he said demonstrates the government’s commitment to making life meaningful and bearable for parents and the entire people of the state. He stated that the inclusion of the new buses as a palliative measure to ease transportation burden from parents is a step in the right direction which will provide safe and conducive transportation for school children, adding that it is an investment in the future of the state.

On assumption of office, the Governor increased the subvention to all the state-owned tertiary institutions in the State. He has also approved funds for capital projects in the schools, including N1.2billion for the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa for speedy completion of abandoned buildings of the School of Science and others.

Governor Ayedatiwa also approved the sum of N1billion for the construction of a new Senate Building at the main campus of the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo. Emphasizing his administration’s commitment to the continuous growth and success of the university, Governor Ayedatiwa applauded the institution’s leadership and stakeholders for their collective efforts in advancing medical education in Ondo State.

There is also an ongoing process of rehabilitating hundreds of public primary schools in the State. Governor Aiyedatiwa had approved a N3.5billion counterpart fund for the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to support the construction and renovation of public primary schools across the state. The Commissioner for Education, Mr. Olaolu Akindolire, announced that the approved counterpart fund paid to the UBEC would fetch the state over N7billion for the construction and renovation of public schools across the three senatorial districts of the State.
Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan,
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor