The vision of this present administration under Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola before coming to government was to radically increase access to Universal Basic Education in our society. This is in furtherance of the vision of the former Western Region Government under the late sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo. This is also in line with Millennium Development Goal Two (MDG 2) of achieving Universal Primary Education, which goes in consonance with Aregbesola’s programme of promoting functional education.

(From L-R) The Deputy Governor, The First Lady, The Governor and Professor Wole Soyinka
The government of Aregbesola in February 2011, two months after assumption of office, organized a world-class education summit to chart a new way forward in the educational sector of the State of Osun in conformity with the evolving trends in the field. The summit which was chaired by Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka had in attendance other experienced stakeholders who proffered solutions to the perennial problems being experienced in the country and Osun in particular.
Stakeholders agreed on having three classification of schools under basic education , these  are elementary, middle and high rather than the existing primary, junior and secondary levels. A comprehensive overhaul of physical and human component of the education system was also recommended.
As observed, the physical infrastructure component of these reclassification is being carried out systematically with the building of elementary, middle and high schools. The human and social component such as recruitment of teachers, provision of instructional materials, psychological and social support through value re-orientation, revival of ideals of hard work, honesty, discipline, determination, revival of Boys and Girls Clubs, calisthenics activities are simultaneously being introduced.
For a concise report on government efforts so far on education reforms, please visit www.osun.gov.ng

Photos of the Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, acknowledging cheers from the crowd,  during the celebration of Ileya Festival at Oke Baale area of Osogbo, Osun on Tuesday 15-10-2013

Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, has debunked insinuations in certain quarters that the ongoing education reforms in the state are aimed at obliterating the heritage and changing the identities of the affected schools.
Aregbesola said the school re-classification of government hinges on total re-engineering of the state education sector to make it functional so as to be able to produce a total man.
 
The governor said contrary to insinuation in some quarters that the identity, heritage and tradition of some institutions are at risk of being distorted or totally changed, his administration has no plan, either in the immediate or remote period of time, to change any school’s tradition.
 
The governor, who spoke in Osogbo, yesterday, at this year’s World Global Hand Washing Day Celebration, said government would not relent in its effort at providing the best education system for the state.
 
He reiterated that government would retain identity and heritage of the schools regardless of their previous inclination.
 
He said: “Let me state categorically that our administration has no intention whatsoever to change the character, heritage and the identity of any school.
 
“A good example, which is not far to seek, is the recently completed school in Alekuwodo. We have retained the name of the school, Salvation Army Middle School.
 
“I don’t think that anybody, even the founder of the school, would be dissatisfied with what we have done to that school.”
 
Aregbesola averred that the example of Salvation Army Middle School, which name is retained by government, was a testimonial that all the negative campaigns by some individuals amounted to sheer hypocrisy and pure lies calculated to derail the good policy of government.
 
Meantime, Aregbesola, has called on all adherents of Islam to live in peace and exhibit religious tolerance towards people of other faiths.
 
This is contained in a message the governor sent to Muslims across the country on the occasion of this year’s Eid el-Kabir celebration.
 
Aregbesola, in a statement by the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, said what the nation needed at this critical moment were peace, security and cooperation among the diverse people of the country.
 
VANGUARD
 
 

Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has called on all adherents of Islamic religion to live in peace and exhibit religious tolerance towards people of other faiths.
Aregbesola, in a statement signed by the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, said what the nation needs at this critical moment is peace, security and cooperation among the diverse people of the country.
The governor called on adherents of all religions to uphold the sacredness of human life, saying God did not command or appoint anyone as judge in all of the revealed scriptures to take the life of another in the guise of protecting any faith.
Aregbesola said he wondered why any reasonable and rational human being should exhibit such cruelty to a fellow human being by either killing or maiming.
The governor also advocated for good governance, purposeful leadership and prudent management of resources as necessary preconditions the leaders of the country must cultivate as measures of curbing the worrisome trend of deterioration in nearly all spheres of the nation’s life.
He identified corruption in high places and divisive tendencies among ethnic groups in the country as disease which we must cure completely for us to get our development agenda right.
The governor said political leaders and followers, religious leaders and their adherents; all must come together and forge a harmonious relationship for the love of their country, saying according to Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the love of one’s country is part of faith.
“It sometimes baffles me that religions, which should unite a people are acting as catalysts to divide us in this country. I wonder why people must kill each other in the name of religion.
“As Muslims, we are not to judge our fellow man. We should leave judgment to God who created us all. Why must people kill in the name of God? Why must people act God? Why must they pre-empt what their creator will do?
Muslims must be tolerant, trustworthy, dependable and peace-loving wherever he lives. He must be a beacon of peace and sterling example of humankind worthy of emulation.
“People must put an end to violence, killing and mindless blood-letting all in the name of religions, and embrace peace and coexist peacefully amongst themselves wherever they reside,” Aregbesola said.
He called on the Muslim faithful to emulate Prophet Ibrahim and his son (Ismael), whose unshaken belief in, perseverance and fulfilment of their promise to their creator earned them salvation, everlasting and divine compensation and glory till today.
He enjoined the people of the state to live in peace and extend hands of fellowship to their neighbours so as for the peaceful and tranquil atmosphere the state has been enjoying in the last two years to continue unhindered.
Quoting from the Holy Qur’an Q41 v 46, “Whoever works righteousness benefits his own soul; whoever works evil, it is against his soul: nor is thy Lord ever unjust to His servants,” Aregbesola said the pursuit of truth and justice at all times should be the watchword of those who hold the affairs of the nation in their hands.”
He added that oppression, inequality oppression, wrong-doing, defying right and justice, transgression beyond the bounds of God on earth are the bases of problems confront the country, urging Nigerians, in the spirit of the festival, to rededicate themselves to the cause of serving the country and humanity as a whole.
He prayed that the Almighty God in His infinite mercies would assist the country by endowing the leaders the divine guidance needed to steer this country aright.

Osun State Commissioner of Police Mrs. Dorothy Gimba has assured residents of security during the forthcoming eid-el-Kabir celebration.
In a congratulatory message to Muslims by the command’s spokesperson Folasade Odoro, the commissioner urged residents to celebrate the festival peacefully.
Urging the public to inform the police of the activities of criminals, she said security operatives would be positioned at strategic locations to prevent breach of the peace.
Local government chairmen in the state also felicitated with Muslims, urging them to be tolerant of adherents of other religions.
In a statement by the Chairman of the Forum of Local Government Chairmen, Omoba Kunle Ayantoye, the council chiefs prayed Allah to continue to bless the state and protect residents.
They said: “We have come a long way to determine whatever we see today; never should religious considerations be our problem. Our case is different here. We have always worked together as a people to uplift our living conditions and have never had it so good. We should continue to explore our strengths.”
The chairmen reaffirmed their commitment to the Governor Rauf Aregbesola administration, saying it had provided purposeful leadership and executed people-oriented programmes.
They thanked the governor and the House of Assembly for extending their tenure by six months, pledging to justify the confidence reposed in them.
The council chairmen said: “We are always proud to be associated with the purposeful and dynamic leadership of the governor. We have partnered progressively with the state government from inception. We acknowledge, with appreciation, the full powers the government accords us, which has translated into unprecedented development at the grassroots.”
THE NATION

The Opon-Imo initiative recently unveiled by the Osun State government has been described as capable of providing more market for local Information Technology players if the local content agenda is strictly adhered to.

The initiative is aimed at bringing computers to the classroom, according to a statement from local IT players under the Information Technology Association of Nigeria.
The statement indicated that about 50,000 tablets had been distributed to pupils in various schools in Osun in the initial phase of the scheme as part of the deliverables from the Chinese technical partners.
Another 150,000 tablets would be manufactured locally from the Ghanaian RLG Communications, now in Osun State for business, it added.
Under the Opon-Imo initiative, about 150,000 Senior Secondary School students in the state will receive tablets personal computers equipped with 56 textbooks covering 17 subjects, 17 tutorial questions for the 17 subjects, 1,000 past questions, six extra-curricular subjects and educational games, according to NCS.
The scheme would offer students multiple digital modules that would make learning an enjoyable experience ahead of their peers in other parts of the country, it said.
It also said while many industry stakeholders were gladdened by the state government’s desire to digitally empower students, they were also calling on the government to increase its patronage of made-in-Nigeria devices.
IT experts at the recently held Nigerian Computer Society conference stressed the need to get local technology companies engaged in implementing the government’s IT projects, warning on the danger of undue patronage of foreign companies at the expense of the growing local capacity and content.
They stressed that in both advanced economies such as the United States and all of western Europe; and in new strong markets such as China and India, government served as a catalyst in engineering the growth of local IT Original Equipment Manufacturers through heavy patronage and right policy thrust.
This, they said, will create an enabling environment to allow locally produced products to compete globally in a way that will ultimately strengthen the local economy.
“We should strive at reducing our huge importation of IT consumables that are locally manufactured,” the spokesman for NCS, Mr. Jide Awe, said.
The NCS is the umbrella body of all IT professionals and organisations in Nigeria with more than 17,000 members covering the software, the Internet and computer hardware sub-sectors.
PUNCH

Governor of the State of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola has disclosed plans to provide 5,000 jobs through the Office of Economic Development and Partnership (OEDP).
The governor said 5,000 different jobs would be provided through the animal husbandry and allied industries. He added that the scheme would be managed by the private sector under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) agreement with the state government.
Aregbesola, who spoke at Oloba Cattle Ranch through the Secretary to Osun State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, reiterated his commitment to animal husbandry as part of his agricultural programmes to reduce dependence on other parts of the country for meat.
No fewer than 2,600 rams fattened at the Oloba farm were sold to Muslims in the state for the Eid-El-Kabir festival.
DAILY TRUST

Photos from the Year 2013 World Global Hand-Washing Bay celebrations at the Freedom Square, Osogbo, State of Osun on Sunday 14-10-2013

From left, State of Osun, Commissioner for Environment, Professor (Mrs) Olubukola Oyawoye; Governor Rauf Aregbesola and his wife, Sherifat, during year 2013 World Global Hand-washing Bay celebrations at the Freedom Square, Osogbo, State of Osun on Sunday 14-10-2013

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, addressing a cross section of children, at year 2013 World Global Hand-washing Bay celebrations, held at the freedom Square, Osogbo, State of Osun on Sunday 14-10-2013

Mofolake Adetoun Adegboyega (Mrs.) nee Laosebikan is an indigene of Iwo L.G.A, a Christian by religion with vast experience in teaching and child care. As a faithful and committed volunteer in her church, she was ordained a Deaconess in February 2004.
As a teacher she taught English language in a High School in Lagos where she eventually became the head of that department. Coupled with teaching she was also responsible for the supervision of teachers in that department, developing teaching syllabuses, students’ assessments and supervision of WAEC examinations.
Asides a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Ilorin, Mofolake successfully completed a Post graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) and a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) both at the University of Lagos.
Over the years Mofolake has found fulfillment in teaching, caring for children, young adults and this passion conceived the vision of a crèche, nursery and primary school, which led to another successful completion of a Diploma in Preschool Practice and later on got certified in Food Safety in the UK.
Over five years ago she found this institution which comprises of a crèche, nursery and primary school.This school has successfully grown to meet the needs of several families around its location in terms of child care and education, providing jobs for many around that location as well. As the proprietress she was the overall manager of the school from its inception till her call to service as a Commissioner in the State of Osun.