The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on Tuesday added another feat to his administration’s achievements in the education sector with the commissioning of another Elementary school, St. Augustine’s Government Elementary School, Ipetumodu, in Ife North Local Government Area of the state.
The Elementary school at the cost of N94 million is a quadrangular block of 12 rooms, 10 of which are used as classrooms, one is a computer centre while the last one is used as the library.
It also has a Headmaster’s office, a store, a power office and a conference room. It is complete with its own borehole, power transformer and a recreation and sporting centre.
Aregbesola at the commissioning held that the school among others are designed to be able to attract the best brains from their catchment areas, especially draw intake from public middle schools, where excellence is also the watchword.
He added that Osun elementary schools are neighbourhood schools where children out of infancy will have schools at their walking distance; within view of familiar neighbours.
According to the Governor, “Today marks another epoch in New Dawn of Education Infrastructure in the State of Osun. The last time we gathered for this purpose was on Tuesday, October 24, 2017, when we commissioned Ilesa Government High School, Ilesa.
“In the order of our new elementary schools, the most recent was the commissioning of the AUD Government Elementary School, Sabo Osogbo, on November 29, 2016.
“On March 21 this year, our trains moved around simultaneously, to celebrate the official opening and commencement of learning activities at four newly-built government high schools; namely: Ataoja Government High School, Osogbo; Osogbo Government High School, Osogbo; Wole Soyinka Government High School, Ejigbo; and Adventist Government High School, Ede.
“These schools were the first set of completed high school infrastructure embarked upon by our administration and have since been put to use by end-users, the students and their teachers”.
Aregbesola added that beyond new buildings, he has carried out renovations on 40 other schools which gives 1,694 standard classrooms in the existing elementary, middle and high schools, noting that they will accommodate nearly 90,000 pupils.
He also held that his administration has provided more than 100,000 desks and chairs, toilets and boreholes and made schools decent places to be.
Earlier in his remarks, the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, Oba James Adedokun Adegoke described Governor Rauf Aregbesola as a true democrat whose position as Governor has heralded unprecedented development in the state.
Oba Adegoke said the present administration has given due recognition to the development of the state particularly Ipetumodu, stressing that the ancient town has witnessed uncommon transformation.
According to the traditional ruler, the present administration has truly defined what government, governance and leadership are all about as this could be attested to by the developments witnessed so far.
“Since the creation of Osun, no government has kept to its electioneering campaign promises as being done by the present administration.
“We have seen true “Omoluabi” ethos in all Aregbesola has done particularly in his commitment to promises made to the people of the state.
“This government has done so much for us and we really appreciate it because no government has ever been conscious of development as this government has demonstrated”, Oba Adegoke emphasised.
In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Education, Mr Wasiu Kolawole Omotunde-Young commended Governor Aregbesola for being committed to fight against educational decadence.
He said the present administration has not only given education a deserved attention but always making it the true bedrock of development.
The state education commissioner further explained that the school is designed as part of efforts to eradicate decadence in the education sector.
“This state-of-the-art government elementary school is designed and constructed to be a first class school aimed to eradicate decadence in the education sector.
“Our government has commissioned many of this school and we will still commission more as we are committed to the quality and functional education in the state”. He stressed.
In his remarks, the Chairman House Committee on Education in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Folorunso bamisayemi lauded Governor Aregbesola for his giant strides in all sectors of the economy particularly in the education sector.
Hon. Bamisayemi said the entire members of the state House of Assembly are proud to have Governor Aregbesola as his administration has brought all round development to the state.
The Chairman House Committee on Education expressed confidence in the present administration saying the House is proud that Governor Aregbesola judiciously utilized the loans which the House approved.
According to him, the administration of Governor Aregbesola has brought so much development to the state in terms of infrastructure, particularly of roads and schools.
“Aregbesola has shown high sense of prudency and transparency in the management of the state’s resources particularly on the money which the state borrowed.
“To us as legislators, we strongly believed that if the state did not borrow at the time it borrowed, many of these projects would have been impossible now, considering the exchange rate.
“As at the time we approved the loan, the exchange rate of naira to dollar was about, 150 dollar to 170 dollar but today exchange rate is about 350 dollar to 400 dollar, telling us that the state might not be able to either borrow at all or do as much as it did. With the benefit of hindsight, the loan has paid for itself”, he added.
