Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, amidst a Jubilant crowd who thronged out in large numbers in appreciation of the good works of the State during the Governor’s inspection visit to some projects in Osogbo, the State of Osun
 
 
 

 

 

 

Governor Rauf Aregbesola has given reason for the merging of schools in the state, saying the policy of reclassification of schools introduced by his administration was not aimed at inflicting pains on the people of the state.
According to a statement issued by Media Aide to the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, in Osogbo on Monday, Aregbesola said this in Lagos while addressing members of the Ijesa Society in Lagos State. The governor spoke just as members of the traditional religions in the state berated some Christian and Muslim groups for attacking the new education policy.
The traditional believers led by Mr. Kayode Esuleke, spoke at a press conference just as Parents Association and Parent Teachers Association in the state also rose in defence of the governor. Aregbesola stated enumerated other efforts made by the administration to revamp the sector trying the free distribution of Opon Imo ( iPad like device), free uniform, free meal and others had started yielding positive results in the sector.
The governor said: “On the surface, it looks as if we are deliberately out to inflict pains with the reformation of our school system. Nothing close to that is our intention. Not at all! We saw a hopeless situation of our basic education system. Because of my experience with the comatose educational system in the state that we were about to inherit, even from the days of my campaigns days, long before we assumed office, I made it very clear that we would carry out surgical attack on it during our campaigns.
“Very clear! We mentioned our intention to the whole world that we will address the issue of poor and totally dilapidated educational infrastructure of basic education to aggressively solve the problem. But as usual, people do not give politicians because of their experience much of thoughts before the campaigns. Some of our policies are necessary but painful and may not be well accepted now.
“We are however convinced that surgery is not always pleasing and soothing to those who need it but the joy of recovery and healing afterward more than compensate for the temporary pain of going under the knife.
“Rather than look at what we are doing as the best form to revamp education and ensure that our student have the best for our limited resource and maximisation of our resources for excellence and efficiency which has a whole of our efforts, sentiment and primordial issues were brought into it.”
SPY GHANA

THE controversy embroiling education reform in the State of Osun is needless, if not contrived. It tends to reduce the significance of what Governor Rauf Aregbesola is trying to achieve in restoring the lost glory of education in the state. While it is perfectly in order for citizens or groups to show concern over the activities in the sector, bearing in mind that everyone is a stakeholder, the concern should be expressed with a view to preserving and indeed complementing government’s efforts at revamping education. In any case, the critics of government should not be perceived as throwing the baby away with the bath water. The state of education, throughout the country is pathetic; such that any serious attempt by a government to redress it deserves the support of the people.
In reclassifying the Osun schools system and merging some schools, it is conceivable that the state government may make mistakes or run foul of the preference of some groups; where any of these happens, it is the responsibility of government to listen and clarify or adjust its position. But the duty of the citizens in pointing out the possible mistakes should not be extended to undermining what is clearly a state policy aimed at the good of the majority. What is deductible from the present imbroglio is that some religious leaders in Osun suspect, rightly or wrongly, that the governor has religious motives in formulating or implementing some of his state policies. It would be worthwhile in the circumstance for the citizens to give the governor a chance, as the current bickering cannot help the generality of Osun people. In the same vein, the grouse of the people should not be dismissed by government.
As part of a reform process, the state government had reclassified the school system into Elementary, Middle and High School categories – a novel step by any education authority in the country. The elementary step comprises pupils from age six to nine, corresponding with the current school system’s Primary 1-4. The middle level takes care of primary four to junior secondary school III for ages 10-14, now classified as Grades five to nine. At the High School level will be children between 15 and 17 years, corresponding with senior secondary (SSS III) tagged Grade 10-12.
Instructively, there are no issues with the reclassifications, and the warring Christian community – particularly the Baptist denomination – made that clear in their protest. The sore point has to do with the merger of schools which became expedient in the re-classification targeted at a “speedy recovery” of the sector to “secure the future of the children”.The government is resolute on “going ahead…with developing the new man,” while the Christian community is afraid that the schools would lose their religious identity.  This mill of confusion should not be prolonged further, else it will negate the essence of achieving quality.
It is no use trading arguments on whether or not government informed or carried the other party along.  Those in opposition to government policy should at least appreciate that the schools in issue are already in government custody, and are no longer controlled by the missions. Luckily, the state has not discouraged the existence of private schools which can be nurtured to achieve particular culture. The protesters therefore would have no need to “compromise the legacy of forefathers and the missionaries…to affect our faith”.
However, the State of Osun which proudly claims the ‘Omoluabi essence’ should always be aware of the feelings of its people, and should strive to iron out all contentious issues with all parties. This is notwithstanding its explanation that it organised an education summit of stakeholders in February this year, which produced a communiqué endorsing the reform.    The state must not slip into a battleground between brothers on faith matters. Open protestations of blocking school gates against male students being merged with all-female schools, or female students of one faith being given dress codes of another school of opposite faith may be signals of clashes in future. But this can be prevented.
Interestingly, the protests against merger have been spearheaded by both Christians (in Iwo and Osogbo) as well as Muslims (in Esa-Oke). To ensure that it is on course with the people, government could compare the current reaction to the one it received at the launch of its novel, globally acknowledged Opon Imo – Tablet of Knowledge – that has become a reference material for other states across the country. More importantly, both sides should exercise restraint in the interest of the students, peace and justice. All told, we are fully persuaded that the Osun State government should continue to communicate the essence of this controversial education policy to the people. Education is too important to be trifled with.
THE GUARDIAN

The Government of the State of Osun on Wednesday screened more than  500 women for breast cancer in order to  detect early signs of the ailment. The screening exercise,  which took place at Asubiaro State Hospital in Osogbo,  attracted a huge turn-out of women across the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports  that the  exercise was jointly organised   by the Ministry of  Health and the management of the hospital. A participant, Mrs Adebayo Olaitan, commended the state government for its effort at  ensuring that breast cancer among women was eradicated.
Olaitan said many were dying  because of ignorance and  urged women to see the screening exercise as an opportunity to ascertain their health status. Another participant, Mrs Adebola Adeshina,  commended the Ministry of  Health for the initiative and  urged other women to come out for screening.
(NAN)
 

The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the State of Osun on General Matters, Mr. Kareem Olajoku has appealed to the people of the state not to misinterpret the good intention of the government to reclassify the school system, which he emphasised was aimed at the delivery of sound and qualitative education.
 
Olajoku, who is in charge of the state’s calisthenics programme, said in a release that his interaction with the schools in the state since he was appointed to coordinate the programme had revealed the rot in the education system in the state; the development he linked to the long years of abandonment of the sector by successive administrations.
He added that the newly introduced education policies of Governor Aregbesola such as the provision of free meal and school uniforms; the increase in allocation to schools, reduction in tuitions in tertiary institutions, payment of fees for WAEC candidates and the distribution of the computer tablets to students are all geared towards changing the status quo ante in the sector.
He however, commended the people for raising questions where necessary, saying their actions could only strengthen the belief and commitment of the administration to carry the public along in its programmes and policies.
“We must emphasise the fact that things cannot just continue the way they used to be. Change is the most constant thing in life and until we are ready to be part of the change, the challenges facing Nigerians would not be addressed. We have run a system for years and it did not change things, rather, what we continued to witness had been mass failure, cases of dropouts, teachers’ poor performance, among others.
NATIONAL MIRROR

In line with activities to mark this year’s World Breast Cancer Day, the Government of the State of Osun under the leadership of Governor Rauf Aregbesola,  on Monday flagged-off a sensitization program, to raise the awareness of the public, on the risk of breast cancer.
The exercise sought to enlighten the people, especially women, on the need for them to always be breast cancer conscious. The event  started with a sensitization rally, from the Government Annex to Freedom Park and from the Freedom Park to Olaiya Junction in Osogbo, the state capital.
Commissioner for Health, State of Osun, Dr. Mrs Temitope  Ilori  described the dreaded disease  as  a tumor , ”a mass of abnormal tissue’’ if unchecked has the ability to spread to different areas of the body.
Explaining why the state government embarked on such sensitization, the Health Commissioner said about 95 percent  of women who develop breast cancer have no previous knowledge of its risk factors, and there is need to sensitize them on the danger of the disease.
According to Ilori, the symptoms of breast cancer can either be a change in shape or size of the breast, swelling of the upper arm or armpit, and discharge from the breast among others’’ she said.
The commissioner stressed the need for Self Breast Examination (SBE) among women to recognize any changes in their breast for quick medical attention.
She said, the state government of Osun in partnership with the Tumor Suppressors Maternal Organization (TSMO), have made necessary arrangements with victims of breast cancers to have access to adequate treatment.
Also, she advised breast cancer patients to visit Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital(LAUTECH), Osogbo, Our Lady of Fatima Hospital, Jaleyemi and Hamstring Specialist Hospital/ Diagnostic Centre in Osogbo, for counseling and necessary measures.
Ilori, however, charged women in Osun to always visit state government hospitals, for early discovery of cancer symptoms, as prevention is better than cure.
BIOREPORTS

The  judiciary of the State of Osun yesterday marked the 2013-2014 Legal Year with a promise by the Chief Judge, Justice Oyebola Adepele Ojo, that dispensation of justice would be done with fair and objectivity.

Addressing journalists shortly after inspecting the guard of honour mounted by the police within the state High Court premises in Osogbo, Justice Ojo commended members of the judiciary for their robust services to the society.
She described the duty of men of the bench and the bar as indispensable to the society and promised not to compromise the truth on the dispensation of justice.
The chief judge stressed that total commitment to dispensation of justice would be observed by the judiciary while “all members, including the bench and the bar are working in synergy and harmony to ensure quick and just dispensation of justice.”
The Bishop of the Diocese of Osun Anglican Communion, Rt. Revd. Dr. James Afolabi Popoola, who was represented by Ven. Samuel Sunday Dada, called for independence of the judiciary and full financial autonomy.
He said judiciary should not be treated as mere appendages of the executives and legislatures. Asking the judiciary to resist attempt to compromise them, the Bishop said.
NATIONAL MIRROR

 
Members of Parents and Guardians Association of Osun in their hundreds thronged the State Secretariat in Osogbo on Tuesday in a rally to commend the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola on his achievements in education. The placards carrying parents urged government not to relent on its massive education reconstruction work in the state as parents and their children are happy and satisfied with goings on in the educational sector.
The Association led by Dr. Ademola Ekundayo told the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titilayo Laoye- Tomori, that the association decided after it was left with no option than to take to the streets for politicians to know that it is not right for them to play politics with the life of the children. Several placards with various inscriptions like: “politics apart, education apart” ” we are saying thank you for reviving our children’s education” “we support re-classification and merger of schools” ” change is inevitable, don’t politicise the future of our children” among others were displayed during the rally.
According to the President of the Association,”we want to first and foremost apologise for obstructing the free flow of vehicular movement around the secretariat. After observing what has been going round since the commencement of the re-classification of schools, we decided to stage a rally to show appreciation for what Aregbesola is doing in schools.
“Our association is coming out in the open to tell politicians in the state not to play politics with the education of our children as we have not had it this good until Aregbesola came on board. We will like to use this opportunity to tell government not to relent in its efforts at giving the best to the children. We know what it used to be in the past, we can now see the difference. Parents have been to these schools and we are very happy with the situation. Our children are now being taught in classrooms with ceiling fans, we don’t have to buy tables and chairs again, our children in elementary schools are now feeding free of charge and every classroom now have teachers. We are grateful to Aregbesola.” Dr. Ekundayo noted.
He urged government not to be distracted by people who he tagged as enemies of progress saying majority of this people who are againt the re-classification process do not have their children in public schools.
“Many of these people making noise about the merger do not have children in these schools. Most of them have children in private schools. I am sure none of them has ever visited any of these schools, because if they have done, their conscience will tell them that what they are doing is not right. What is the population of these people? This will go a long way to show that they are not interested in the children because their own children are not there but they are only interested in self.” The Association chairman revealed.
The Deputy Governor who addressed the parents for their orderly conduct during their rally to the governors office said, “I was at a function when I was called that some people are blocking the entrance to the secretariat, I was afraid that what would have warranted it, but I am happy when I got here and found that it was you parents and that you have come to tell us we are doing good.” She told the parents.
She disclosed that government is feeding over 300, 000 children daily with nourished foods, which is helping their physical and mental development. The deputy governor expressed profound appreciation to the parents for their understanding and support of the reforms. She also commended the teachers in the state for their valuable contributions to Opon Imo (Tablet of Knowledge). She reminded the parents that today in Osun, pupils eat over 300,000 eggs every week, 35 heads of cattle every week, they eat 15,000 whole chicken every week, they eat 400,000 tones of fish every week and are given fruits everyday.
She said the hopeless state met whereby only 3 per cent of products of our high schools were matriculable has been reversed with changed with over 60 percent crossing the bar. She also reminded that the state was number  32nd on the national examination scale but now 8th n the ladder because of the intervention programmes.