The dates January 23 and 24 will go down in Lagos State history as significant dates under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. During those days, President Muhammadu Buhari traveled to the state to dedicate several game-changing infrastructural initiatives for the good of the populace.
The event was dubbed the “Lagos Projects Festival” by the government itself. And what a festival it was, with the opening of the Lekki Deep Sea Port, Imota Rice Mill, the Blue Rail Line’s first segment, and the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, all of which were intended to, among other things, aid in the spread of Yoruba culture both inside and outside of Nigeria.
Governor Sanwo-Olu has continued to upgrade the state’s infrastructure, health, and education while not ignoring other pillars of his THEMES agenda since taking the helm in 2019.
Although President Buhari didn’t commission any educational projects during his visit, the current administration has performed admirably in that area, so it wasn’t necessary to highlight its outstanding accomplishments.
This is especially true considering that before the “Lagos Projects Festival,” Governor Sanwo-Olu had revealed his education rating during an appearance on a well-known TV program. In his remarks during the program, the Governor cited a proverb by the legendary Chinua Achebe about a lizard that descended safely from the tallest Iroko tree while others refused to recognize its achievement.
Yet, Mr. Sanwo-achievements Olu’s in education, which he highlighted, is founded on realities rather than mere platitudes.
“We have purposefully increased our budget for education every year because we think that’s one area where we need to demonstrate real sustainability. We spent 11 to 12 percent of our whole budget last year.
In terms of infrastructure, we have so far constructed more than 1047 new classrooms in under four years. About 197 new school projects and more than a thousand other school-related items have been touched by us. About 200,000 additional benches and chairs have been added.
Over 2,000 extra beds have been added to boarding schools by our team. Also, we have intervened in all of our vocational schools and institutions of a similar nature. What we have done with primary schools, which is where education should begin, is, in my opinion, the interesting one.
EKOEXCEL starts from this point. To enable them to use the same curriculum, we’ve provided tablets to primary school teachers. We can remotely monitor absent teachers to determine who is teaching what. Also, we’ve made the teaching standards in basic schools nearly identical.
It makes no difference where in the state you are. The number of students returning to our primary school from other schools, including private ones, has increased. To transform Early Childhood Care and Development and Primary education in all Lagos State government schools and implement 21st-century education that is child-centered and supported by modern techniques and technology, the EKOEXCEL program was implemented in 2019.
Since then, the transformational initiative has made significant progress with support from NewGlobe education services, with oversight duties handled by the Hon.
Wahab Alawiye King-led Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB). Primary school teachers in Lagos State have received new training and have switched from analog to digital instruction utilizing tablets.
The outcomes have been fantastic. Notwithstanding the effects of the covid epidemic, endline tests revealed that after two years, the typical Primary 3 EKOEXCEL student could read nearly as fluently as the average Primary 5 student from before the program’s inception.
He proceeded on to discuss what his government has done with secondary education, speaking with the assurance of a guy who is aware that he had data to support his claims. We have implemented a comprehensive school system in our secondary schools, which means that you obtain more than simply a fundamental education.
To ensure that you graduate with a well-rounded understanding of what you want to do, you are taught about acting, music, cooking, and entrepreneurship. The Governor also discussed teachers’ welfare, which has improved, as Comrade Hassan Olatoye, Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers’ Lagos Chapter, attested to last year.
“We have recruited almost 6000 teachers, and we are not simply doing it for students,” Sanwo-Olu claimed.
Also, we are making sure that we can keep our teachers in their positions since, after seeing something, they often want to pursue other careers.
“We prepare our instructors in secondary schools. Every day, I check off TESCOM’s request to train more than 1000 instructors every month.
We pay teachers the highest salaries in the nation per salary, and we provide them with luxury vehicles. The best instructor emerges organically in this method. In primary and high schools, we provide 13 automobiles rather than one or two.
The goal is to inspire others, not to shower them with gifts. It means that you will be recognized and inspired. In response to a question about the government’s involvement in tertiary education, Sanwo-Olu stated,
“Our father, Lateef Jakande, founded the Lagos State University some 40 years ago, but for the first time, we have more state tertiary institutions—the University of Science and Technology and the University of Education.
Lagos currently has three tertiary institutions, up from one, and the new ones already have vice-chancellors. We have freshmen and a university’s complete complement. We are constructing two new senate buildings at the two institutions, and we have tripled our subvention.
Conclusion
While the government has made significant investments in infrastructure, Sanwo-Olu has not forgotten the value of education and is strategically updating it. He has heeded the counsel of notable political thinkers and statesmen who has emphasized the value of education, including Benjamin Franklin.
He placed a strong emphasis on youth education to safeguard the state’s future. exhibited a strong belief in Benjamin Franklin’s dictum that “an investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
As historians and other people reflect on this period in Lagos’ history, they will witness a dedicated leader who trusts in the ability of high-quality education to change things for the better.
Source: The Guidance
