Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has set up a nine-man committee headed by the acting Vice-Chancellor of Bola Ige University, Prof. Jelil Oguntola, to find solutions to the state’s public schools’ poor showing in national examinations.
 

 
 
Aregbesola, in a statement by his spokesman, Semiu Okanlawon, on Sunday, said the committee would also verify   the implementation of the reforms initiated by his administration in the four state-owned tertiary institutions.
The state owns polytechnics at Iree and Esa Oke as well as colleges of education in Ilesa and Ila Orangun.
Aregbesola said, “It is the desire of the government to put a stop to secondary school pupils’ yearly poor performances in external examinations. Time is ripe for something to be done urgently to ensure that the performances of pupils reflect the heavy investment in education by the government.
“The realisation of the poor performance of our pupils over a decade compelled us to ask the tertiary institutions to offer remedial courses for more of our students to be ‘matriculable’.
“The committee is therefore to verify the progress on the implementation of all the reforms we have initiated in the four institutions in focus.”
The governor also directed the committee to carry out staff verification in the four institutions to be sure that the available resources to the schools were being judiciously used.
He also directed the committee, which has two weeks to complete its work, to review the institutions’ curriculums.
He added that his administration wanted to be sure that the institutions were properly set up for the kind of education the Nigerian society needed for growth.
Oguntola said the students, their parents and guardians should be encouraged to stop cheating in examinations.
He said, “This committee will do all in its capacity to make sure government policies and projects are better implemented.
“On the need to give vocational training, we will ensure that the institutions train people to be self-reliant in basic skills they need to function in the society. If this can’t be done, it means we have failed as institutions.”

Admission forms into the State College of Health Technology, Ilesha, 2016/2017 session is available for sale at the
rate of N7,500 only.
 

 
 
This is contained in a press release signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Akinyinka Oluseyi Esho.
The statement stressed that interested applicants must possess five O’ Level credits in relevant subjects not more than two sittings in WAEC or NECO.
Dr. Esho therefore urged applicants to obtain the Admission Forms either from the State Ministry of Health, Abere or College of Health Technology, Ilesha

Senator Isiaka Adeleke has described the creation of an additional Local Government for Edeland from the existing Ede-South Local Government Area as a welcome development, coming has it were, as an avenue for accelerated development of the units comprising the new Ede-East Local Government Area.
 

 
 
This was contained in a press release issued by his Media Adviser, Alhaj Olumide Lawal.
Adeleke, while thanking Aregbesola for this magnanimous show of love for Ede people, called the attention of the government to the need to give the present Ede-North Local Government Area, an additional full-fledged local government area, instead of an administrative area office, created for it presently.
Ede-North Local Government Area, Adeleke stated, has more than 125 polling units, “a situation that qualifies it to be so split into two.”
Adeleke also thanked the speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Najeem Salam for doing the needful, by immediately rectifying the anomalies that arose from the erroneous “ceeding” of some parts of Ede-North Local Government Area to Osogbo-South Local Government. The action of the speaker, was seen by Adeleke, as “that of a leader with listening ears, when Ede people robustly complained to him over the anomalies.”
The Senator said: “The issuance of a white paper by the government, within 24 hours to correct the stated anomalies has gone a long way to assuage the pains of Ede people over the matter.”
Senator Adeleke also thanked His Royal Majesty, The Timi of Edeland, Oba Munirudeen Adesola Lawal, Laminisa I, the Timi-in-council and indeed, the entire indigenes of Ede at home and in diaspora, for maintaining absolute peace, calm and restraint, at the face of extreme provocation, associated with the exercise as it concerned the alleged but already rectified issue of part of Ede-North Local Government Area being ceded to Osogbo-South Local Government Area.
He enjoined the good people of Edeland, to continue to be pace setters, as far as civility and absolute decorum are concerned in addressing issues that might agitate their minds from time to time.
The Asiwaju of Edeland, also thanked Aregbesola, for naming of Ejigbo Campus of Bola Ige University after him. This he said, is a great honour that he would cherish for the rest of his life.
He promised, to continue to do all within his power to give full support to the upliftment of Osun State and her people, by joining hands with all stakeholders to foster peace, love and unity amongst the various groups of people that constitute the state.

The Government of the State of Osun in collaboration with the Secretary General of the Muslim World League is today (Monday) afternoon organising a symposium with the theme:  “WORLD TERRORISM AND CRIMINALITIES: ISLAM VIEW POINT”.
 
 

 
Venue is Aurora Event Centre, OSOGBO.
This is contained in a press statement issued by the Secretary of the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare  Board, Mr Sukiru Alao.
The release also disclosed that Sheik Abdul Rosheed Adiatullah, the Deputy President , Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria and Professor Abdul-Ganniy Oladosu of University of Ilorin will deliver lectures, among others.
The release enjoined the general public especially Muslim Umah to be in attendance and be seated by 2.00 0’clock in the afternoon.

The Government of Osun on Friday said it cannot act outside the outcome of a forensic audit of the staff of the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital Osogbo which has identified cases of irregularities in the recruitment of some staff.
 
 

 
The Government’s statement came in response to a rally embarked upon by some staff of the Teaching Hospital on Wednesday who claimed that government had concluded plans to disengage them.
Signed by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, the statement revealed that it was in the cause of the forensice staff audit that the government discovered various illegal recruitments of staff in excess of over 600.
The audit panel, according to the statement, set up in 2015, revealed that about 678 staffers were illegally employed without government approval.
Besides, some of these staffers were just administrative officers not urgently needed for the growth of the hospital.
Government said that available statistics also showed that some of the administrative officers in question with Bachelors Degrees and Higher National Diploma holders were recruited as security and Ward Assistants on Grade Level 02 only to be promoted to Level 07 within three months of their unapproved appointment.
Government thus noted that it discovered over 500 staff that are Executive and Assistant Executive Officers more than triple the number of available doctors and consultants.
According to the statement, “What sense would it make for hospital with 34 administrative officers; 56 consultants and 154 Resident Doctors to employ 426 Administrative Executive Officers?
“Should there be need for recruitment at all, will it not be beneficial for government and the hospital management to recruit officers into strategic area of the state’s healthcare needs?
“With the current statistics available, the Administrative Executive Officers have more than tripled the numbers of doctors, consultants and nurses, who are the special needs of a functional hospital.
“To make matters worse, all the recruitment and undue promotions of workers from Grade Level 2 to that of Grade Level 07 within 3 months were done without the approval of the government.”
Furthermore, the statement noted that some resident doctors, who were asked to go, were those that have exceeded the mandatory six years required to pass residency examination, adding that some of these doctors have spent more that 10 years in the hospital.

The Permanent Secretary for the State Ministry Of Education, Science and Technology, Mr Sunday Festus Olajide has urged Staff in the Ministry of  Education to jettison selfish or egoistic habit that may have negative impact in service delivery in the education sector and form a synergy to move education in the State of Osun to its rightful
position.
 

 
Mr Olajide made the call during a meeting with the officers in the Department of Planning and Statistics, Administration and Supply, Finance and Account, Internal and External Audits unit in the Ministry
of Education.
He maintained that Education remains a focal ministry for the present administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s administration. He therefore noted  that implementation of education policy should be a collective responsibility to achieve a desired goal in education.
Mr Olajide pointed out that lack of team work as he observed is a contributory factor that rendered some officers ineffective in their official responsibilities particularly internally generated revenue officers.
He therefore warned that all abnormalities should henceforth stop and no officer should negotiate or compromise the standard of service or materials delivered to the ministry.

The Head of Service of the State of Osun , Mr Sunday Olayinka Owoeye has charged deployed officers from the civil service with relevant teaching qualification into the state teaching service  to see their deployment has a call to service.
 

 
 
Mr Owoeye stated this while declaring open a 2-day refresher course organised by Teachers Establishment and Pension Office for newly deployed teachers held at ANCOPPS House, OSOGBO.
He equally advised the officers to put in their professional skills to bring about the expected change into the education sector of the state.
The Head of Service also lauded the commitment of the Aregbesola led administration for the rejuvenation of the sector through many innovative programmes such as provision of the state of art physical infrastructural facilities, supply of infrastructural facilities, supply of instructional materials and increase in the quantity and quality of teachers.
Mr Owoeye noted that the steps taken by the government will not only tackle the shortage of qualified teaching personnel in public schools but also afford government the opportunity to reshuffle its human resources  to ensure that officers are moved to areas appropriate to their training and competences.
Earlier in his welcome address,the Chairman, Teachers Establishment and Pensions Office, Hon. Tope Ogunleye appreciated the Governor for his commitment towards the uplift  of the Education sector .
Hon Ogunleye then called on principals, vice principals, Heads of Departments, Headmasters and Headmistresses to endeavor to monitor the new teachers for effective service delivery because they need all the necessary assistance to facilitate their smooth transition from their former schedules to the teaching profession.

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has directed the management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC to restore electricity in every nook and cranny of Ilesa and its environs without further delay.
 

 
Aregbesola who described electricity as an essential amenity in the society said, the role of power in promoting socio-economic activities in the society can never be waved away.
Governor Aregbesola stated this while playing a host on the management team of IBEDC who was on a peace mission to his office, at Government Secretariat, Osogbo.
Aregbesola expressed displeasure over the misunderstanding which eventually led to the total disconnection of power supply to the ancient town and its environs.
Governor Aregbesola who described Osun as a land of virtue, expressed disappointment on the report that some officials of the company were allegedly beaten up in the course of exercising their duties.
The Governor said it is regrettable that some people believe the only way to express their feelings and as well resolve matters on electricity is to resolve to fight and desecrate the IBEDC authority, which he said was against the social conduct.
Governor Aregbesola condemned in its entirety the way and manner at which some officials of the electricity company were reportedly maltreated in the town while performing their legal duties.
He said” this act must be condemned anywhere in the country because it is illogical, unreasonable and uncultured for anyone in his or her interest to resolve to fight with officials of electricity company.
“We are in a state that preaches “Omoluabi ethos” and as a matter of fact, our administration would not for any reason tolerate any act of indiscipline.
“We shall continue to portray our state in good light, just as we are determined to maintain law and order.
Governor Aregbesola lamented over what he regarded as mere loggerheads which could have been peacefully resolved in time past, just as he directed the authority of the company to jettison its grievances in the interest of peace.
Governor Aregbesola who described the traditional rulers as symbols and mirrors of the society, however called on the monarchs to always intervene in any anomaly and as well continuously foster love, unity, peace and tranquility.
He therefore implored the traditional rulers, stakeholders and the general public to support the government in  strengthening peaceful co-existence between and among the people in the state.
Earlier, the Managing Director, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), Mr. John Donnachie commended Governor Aregbesola for his prompt intervention, promising to deploy his men on immediate re-connection of the electricity in the town and its environs.
Mr. Donnachie ,who condemned  the action purportedly taken by the residents of the town, said the company would not tolerate any form of gross indiscipline; assault and molestation from any member of the public irrespective of such person’s  position or rank in the society.
He therefore urged people in the country to continuously cooperate with the company just as he promised better services.

The Governor of Osun Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has inaugurated a 9-man Committee to swiftly reposition all the four State Owned Tertiary Institutions for greater performance and productivity.
 

 
Governor Aregbesola hinted that the newly inaugurated committee was constituted in a bid to turn around the education system in the state in line with the state policy on education.
Aregbesola who recounted the laudable achievements of his administration said, much had been immensely recorded in the education sector just as the present administration was committed to the provision of quality and quantity education.
Governor Aregbesola who lamented over the state of education prior to his emergence, said the challenges which his administration met in education sector informed him to embark on massive education reclassification and restructuring which according to him had yielded positive results in years past.
He disclosed that his government met poor performance of students in education which informed his government to device several means of revamping and resuscitating the lost glory in basic and tertiary educations in the state.
Governor Aregbesola revealed that the recommendations of the various constituted panels by his administration had it that prior to his inception in office,  public education system had been poorly managed as over 70 percent of students leaving the state High Schools not being matriculable.
He stated further that the matriculable ones among the students prior to his coming were very horrible and challenging as this prompted him to implement and intensify plans to put an end to the disheartening occurrence.
According to him, “For this reason, we came up with initiatives which premised on a clear passion and commitment to provide opportunities for those who for whatever reason have deficiency in their secondary education.
“This informed the need to provide remedial facilities in all our tertiary institutions aside university just as we directed the authorities of both polytectnic, college of technology and colleges of education to provide facilities for basic education which will be largely for remedial studies for those with deficiencies in their secondary education to makeup and be properly equipped with required knowledge while being fully admitted for regular studies”, he added.
He disclosed that initiative was aimed at making tertiary education to be locally made and accessible to the teeming prospective admission seekers, saying the state agitated for skilled-manpower particularly in the area of need, like construction industries, trading, catering, book keeping, carpentry, plumbing, electrical works and several urgently needed vocations.
He said, “We did these to ensure that our youths who have had sound academic knowledge are adequately provided with required technical and vocational skills.
“We equally compelled our tertiary institutions especially polytechnics and colleges of education to admit some trade men and women as well as artisans who are interested on the need to improve their skills and craftsmanship in their various areas of disciplines.
“For the colleges of education, we saw the need for regular training and retraining of our teachers including those teachers at Elementary schools, Middle schools and High schools because we believed that for us to get the best from our teachers we need to motivate them.
“In the need for them to be acquitted with modern techniques of teaching and for refresher programmes, we realized that our colleges of education are short on this, therefore, we organized pedagogy.
Speaking on the responsibilities of the committee, Governor Aregbesola said, “We setup this 9-man Committee on repositioning our tertiary institution so as to be sure that what we charged our tertiary institutions upon are well implemented and properly tracked”.
He added, “Your oversight function is to verify the implementation of all the reforms we have initiated and enunciated in all the four institutions.
“We are clear on our minds. We want polytechnic, college of technology, as well as colleges of education that would be involved in the present and future needs of the society just as we equally want polytechnic that would be well connected to the society and provides its needs at all times”.
Governor Aregbesola noted that it would be glad indeed if the state has colleges of education that are clearly focused on building virile and competent graduates that can compete excellently with their counterparts globally.
He said, “All our ideas are to turn our institutions to pacesetters and models in the country because it is anachronistic if we have a college of education in the state and the teachers in the state could not have facilities for retraining and acquisition of modern knowledge in teaching techniques.
“It would be very sad indeed if we have polytechnic or college of technology that occupied technicians, electricians, technologists, craft people among others but yet could not have facilities for training and retraining.
“For these noble reasons, we have inaugurated this committee to ensuring that our objectives for these institutions are completely achieved.
Aregbesola hinted that the committee was also inaugurated in order to be sure that the resources available in all the institutions are properly and judiciously used.
The Governor said the newly inaugurated committee would be empowered to carry out audit in the course of its exercise, saying the state was keenly interested to know the quality and quantity of every circumstance.
He maintained that the committee needs to bring to its knowledge by ensuring that every naira available for the institutions is being spent judiciously.
“We want to know through this committee, how the staffing is affecting the judicious use of the very limited financial available resources for these institutions in order to equally know how corrections would be made along the line.
“We want to find out and check the indigenous programmes available in all our tertiary institutions, as well as the additional assignments such remedial study, pedagogy, technical and vocational study given to them through this newly inaugurated committee.
“We want our tertiary institutions to be properly set up and targeted at achieving the purpose of which they were being saddled”, Aregbesola opined.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the 9-man committee who doubles as the Acting Vice Chancellor, Bola Ige University, Osogbo, Professor Oguntola Jelili Alamu commended the state government for continuously repositioning education most importantly the basic education in the state.
He also said the current government under the leadership of Governor Rauf Aregbesola has created a wider platform of making education more interesting, attractive and relevant to the people within the state and beyond.
Professor Alamu who pledged the committee’s commitment towards the realization of its aims and objectives, said every member of the committee would not rest on his oars at ensuring total reformation, restructure and transformation of all the state owned tertiary institutions.
Professor Alamu who bemoaned over what he regarded as poor orientation of parents, identified examination fraud as one of the major challenges facing education.
He said parents need to be educated on the need to refrain their wards from writing fraudulent terminal examinations such as West African Examination Council, WAEC, National Examination Council, NECO and so on at what he described as miracle centres where the results were believed to be easily and conveniently manipulated and engineered.
He described the government initiatives as laudable, assuring the committee’s commitment in the actualization of the set goals.
According to him, “this committee which I am chairing would ensure the prompt actualization of the state objectives at restructuring and repositioning the state owned tertiary institutions.
” We will make sure that we embark on initiatives that would impact meaningfully in the lives of the people and our state at large just as we are ready to put in our best as we will continuously support the state government”, he added.
Professor Alamu however promised that the committee would champions all the cardinal objectives of the state as they are ready to ascertain that the graduates of all the state owned tertiary institutions are equipped with requisite knowledge and skills to become employer of labour.
Members of the committee include: Professor Olasupo Ladipo; Professor Layi Fagbemi, Professor Duro Ajeyalemi, Dr. Yemi Adegbite.