Governor Rauf Aregbesola has stated that he will not renege on his efforts to restore the glory of public schools in State of Osun and make it the citadel of learning. “Our pioneer leaders went to public school and they did well.”
He said that work is still going on in Osun and will not stop until his administration achieve her goal of making public schools in Osun places where pupils can get the kind of education that will place them at par with the very best in the world. “This is our ultimate aim, and by the grace of God, and your support and understanding, we will realise this objective to the greater future of our children and our state,” Aregbesola told the people of Osun at the official commissioning of Baptist Central Elementary School, Ilare, Ile-Ife.

He said, “What we have brought to education in Osun, if we will not sound imodest, amounts to a revolution. Critics who will be honest should compare this new school and its facilities to what obtained when they went to school and what public schools have become of recent.
“ I am sure very few, if any private school can compare favourably with the schools we are building. Yet we are not competing with private schools.”
According to him, the role of private school is to complement and not displace government in the provision of certain essential services, stressing that our society has to do away with the notion that the government must necessarily fail in certain endeavours which must then be yielded to the private sector. Moreover, while insisting on quality education and conducive learning environment for students, the governor reiterated that pioneer leaders who went to public schools did well in its ramifications.

He noted that preparing our children for the future is a responsibility that we must fulfill, adding that leaders will never be forgiven if they fail in their responsibilities. According to him, the world around us is moving on; and at a pace that leaves no room for lack of seriousness or half-measures, especially with regard to education.
The education of our children, he warned, should not be a subject for petty squabbles or unhealthy politics about our narrow interests, adding, “if we are genuinely interested in the future of our children, we should bury our narrow concerns of today in order to assure for them a glorious tomorrow.” Upon this, he stated, “we will not be distracted from this objective even if it means stepping on toes, we are unstopable”
For the benefit of doubt, Aregbesola, however disclosed that the new school buildings are not for Muslims or for Christians, neither are they for adherents of any other religion, adding that they are for all children of Osun, regardless of their circumstances of birth.
On issue of religion, the governor said his efforts at revamping education never had a religious motive, but that he is motivated by the highest ideal of developing a complete personality who will be an asset to society as he would be for himself. “We are clearly neutral on religious observances,” he added.
Recalling his administration’s investment in education, Aregbesola said, “We have added 10,407 new teachers to the list of public school teaching staff in Osun. Thus, we now have 12,715 teachers in our primary schools and 7,848 teachers in our secondary schools. This amounts to a 54.8 per cent increase in the number of public school teachers we inherited. The same applies to non-teaching staff whose number has also increased by 564.
“As a result, the salaries and pensions of our primary and secondary school teachers now cost the government N16.8 billion and N10.3 billion respectively on an annual basis. On the free school uniforms, we expended N900 million, while the elementary school feeding programme costs N3.6 billion every year.
“On the supply of furniture to our schools, we have committed N2.5 billion so far, while we have spent N503 million on instructional materials which were not part of public school education before we assumed office. We have similarly increased school grants from N122 million to N856 million. Under our administration, WAEC fees have also shot up from N38 million to N400 million. We have also expended N1.2 billion on our pace-setting e-learning tablet, Opon-Imo.

“Along with building new schools, we are also renovating and upgrading some of the existing ones. On this we have spent N1.6 billion. On the new schools, we have committed N14.4 billion on capital projects, while our recurrent annual expenditure is N21 billion on elementary schools, and N13.43 billion on secondary schools. This amounts to per capita spending of N84,000 per elementary school pupil, and N30,000 per secondary school pupil. The total capital expenditure on all schools in the last three years outside new schools is N31.31 billion.”
VANGUARD

The Osun State Government has so far distributed 23,100 computer tablets popularly known in the state as ‘Opon Imo.’ The tablets were produced through a partnership between the state and a Chinese firm. The total number of the tablets already produced is 50, 000.
The state said further distribution of the device was being delayed to allow some modification that would personalise each device for every student in a way that would prevent theft and wrong use of the product.
The state also assured Nigerians on durable and affordable telephone handsets that would soon be produced from its technology village to meet the needs of citizens across the country.
The State Commissioner for Inter-governmental Affairs and Special Duties, Mr. Ajibola Bashir, who dropped the hint at the weekend during a media parley hosted in Lagos  by the National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Muiz Banire, further disclosed that to produce extra 100,000 pieces of the devices, the state government had to enter into a partnership with the Chinese firm producing the device to transfer the technology to Nigeria by establishing a factory in the state’s technology village in Ilesa.
In the factory, other products such as telephone handsets, laptop computers among others would be produced and repaired by Nigerians who have been trained by the foreign firm.
According to him: “We are doing this for technological transfer because it won’t be economically reasonable to import that magnitude of devices from abroad. So, why not have the manufacturing company here. As we speak now, the company is already on ground and manufacturing and installation of the software of this product is being done in Ilesa.
“The company will solve the problem of telephone handsets rip-off on Nigerians because it would be able to meet the demands of Nigerian telephone consumers and this would be cheaper. Over 5,000 citizens of the state have been trained on the manufacturing of telecommunication devices and some of them have been sent to Ghana for further skill acquisition,” Bashir said.
He further disclosed that the administration recruited no fewer than 7,350 teachers that have been trained with a view to taking the public schools in the state to the level of highbrow private schools in the state.
He revealed that private schools in the state are even losing students to public schools due to facilities being put in place and the condusive learning environment.
“When the administration of Aregbesola berthed in the state of Osun, the first thing we had to brainstorm on is how to jump start the non-existent economy of the state because the allocation that accrues to the state from the federation account was not even enough to pay salaries of workers,” he said, adding, “at a point, one of our leaders suggested that we should establish a factory that would be producing slippers so that we can generate funds to implement all the things we had promised the people.”
THIS DAY

Osun State government has stressed the need to make people at the grassroots actively contribute to the decision making and developmental projects through Community Information Board (CIB).
The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, who doubles as Vice Chairman, State Planning Commission (SPC), made the remarks at a two-day training workshop on the use of Community Information Board organized by the National Orientation Agency, Osun State Government in collaboration with UNICEF in Osogbo.
Adeoti, who stressed the importance of collection of data for the benefit of the communities, said it is imperative to organize the workshop to train the NOA officers, key community operators and local government officers on the implementation of Community Information Board.
He explained that the information and data collected from the Community Information Board (CIB) will be used for community development.
According to him, “it is imperative to organize this workshop in order to train the National Orientation Agency (NOA) officers, key community operators and local government officers on the implementation of community information board so as to use information for community development and to enhance communication for analytical reports and collection of data from identified data sources to the benefits of their communities.
In addition, this workshop will build the capacities of the participants for systematic monitoring, documentation and to utilise information to bring about social change at community level and to get what they need to improve their own lives through the use of community dialogue.
DAILY INDEPENDENT

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola celebrates with the disabled at the Local Government Civil Service Commission hall, Osogbo, State of Osun. Photos below

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd left) celebrates
with disables during
the declaration their Supports for his Second Term in office, at Local
Government Civil Service Commission hall, Osogbo, State of Osun. With
him are, Special Adviser to the Governor on Youths, Sports and Special
Needs, Comrade Biyi Odunlade (left); Special Adviser to Oyo State
Governor on Special People, Prince Paul Adelabu (3rd right); Chairman,
Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Osun Chapter, Mr Onitiju Kehinde (2nd right) and others

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd left); Special
Adviser to the Governor on Youths, Sports and Special Needs, Comrade
Biyi Odunlade (left); Special Adviser to Oyo State Governor on Special
People, Prince Paul Adelabu (2nd right) and others, during the
the Celebration of Persons with Disabilities and Declaration of Support
for Aregbesola’s Second Term in office, at Local Government Civil
Service Commission hall, Osogbo, State of Osun

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd right); Special
Adviser to the Governor on Youths, Sports and Special Needs, Comrade
Biyi Odunlade (2nd left); Special Adviser to Oyo State Governor on
Special People, Prince Paul Adelabu (left) and Special Adviser to the
Governor on Home Affairs, Culture and Tourism, Mr Ladipo Soyode,
during the Celebration of Persons with Disabilities and Declaration of
Support for Aregbesola’s Second Term in office, at Local Government
Civil Service Commission hall, Osogbo, State of Osun

The Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has on Tuesday said that the education of Osun children should not be a subject for petty squabbles and that his administration’s  efforts at revamping education never had a religious motive.
The governor at the formal commissioning of Baptist Central Elementary School, Ilare, Ile-Ife, held at the school premises noted that‎ government on the new schools, has committed N14.4 billion on capital projects, while recurrent annual expenditure is N21 billion on elementary schools.
Aregbesola added that N13.43 billion has been spent on secondary schools, which amounts to per capita spending of N84,000 per elementary school pupil, and N30,000 per secondary school pupil, stressing that ‎total capital expenditure on all schools in the last three years outside new schools is N31.31 billion.
He pointed out that works and‎ spendings are still going on and will not stop until the administration achieves its goal of making public schools in Osun where pupils can get the kind of education that will place them at par with the very best in the world is achieved.
According to the governor, “‎ what we have brought to education in Osun, if we will not sound immodest, amounts to a revolution. Critics who will be honest should compare this new school and its facilities to what obtained when they went to school and what public schools have become of recent.
‎”Let me repeat for the umpteen time that our efforts at revamping education never had a religious motive. We are motivated by the highest ideal of developing a complete personality who will be an asset to society as he would be for himself.
“This is a total man that understands life as an endeavour to add value to society through application of self for the benefit of all. We are clearly neutral on religious observances. It is this neutrality that is the root of the absurd stigmatisation”. The governor told the gathering.
‎Aregbesola stated that if politicians are genuinely interested in the future of Osun children, they will bury their narrow concerns of today in order to assure children a glorious tomorrow. ‎He noted that progress and advancement are the desires of every human society, and that these are brought about by persistently confronting and providing solutions to societal problems.
The governor stressed that government should serve as an arbitrator in society, always in pursuit of public interest, which is larger and necessary for the good and happiness of all, adding that‎ government must not discriminate with regard to its beneficiaries, and must not favour any group or individual.
In his words, “‎by design and purpose, the new school buildings are not for Muslims or for Christians, neither are they for adherents of any other religion. They are for all children of Osun, regardless of their circumstances of birth.
“This I expect should be the basis upon which government should be engaged and encouraged.
The education of our children should not be a subject for petty squabbles or unhealthy politics about our narrow interests”. Aregbesola told people at the gathering. ‎The governor while recounting his administrations significant achievements added 10,407 new teachers have been added to public school teaching staff in Osun. He revealed that the state now has 12,715 teachers in primary schools and 7,848 teachers in  high schools, which amounts to a 54.8 per cent increase in the number of public school teachers it inherited.
Aregbesola added that the number of non-teaching staff has also increased by 564, stressing that with the increment, salaries and pensions of primary and secondary school teachers now cost government N16.8 billion and N10.3 billion respectively on an annual basis.
On the free school uniforms, the governor said he has expended N900 million, while the elementary school feeding programme costs N3.6 billion every year.
“On the supply of furniture to our schools, we have committed N2.5 billion so far, while we have spent N503 million on instructional materials which were not part of public school education before we assumed office. We have similarly increased school grants from N122 million to N856 million.
“Under our administration, WAEC fees have also shot up from N38 million to N400 million. We have also expended N1.2 billion on our pace-setting e-learning tablet, Opon-Imo”. The governor pointed out.
The Deputy Governor, Mrs Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori, who also doubles as the Commissioner for Education, said the new school is a testimony of the sincerity of the Aregbesola’s administration towards the school reform. She described the commissioned elementary school as an architectural masterpiece, which is designed not only to attract the pupils but also to provide a level playing ground for them‎ irrespective of their background.
“Education reform of this government is a complete package to provide ‎a level playing field for all pupils of school-going age in the state. We also introduced school meal system called O’Meal to provide balance diet to enhance physical and mental strength and development of the pupils. The school is an architectural masterpiece designed to accommodate‎ 1000 pupils. The classrooms are well-ventilated. This will allow for more space as opposed to the old crowded classroom system. And this will ultimately promote conducive learning,” Laoye-Tomori said.
In his remark, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, commended Aregbesola for what he described as wonder of a school. The monarch said he was well-pleased with what he saw, saying the governor has performed excellently in the last three and half years of his administration.
“I saw the new school and I was well-pleased with what I saw. The people of the town and state will also confirm that the school is one of the best they have seen in this country. All I want to say is to enjoin the people to continue to support the government so that it can do more,” the Ooni said.
It was a bright day for the pupils of the schools and their parents who marvelled at the size and beauty of the new school premises.
Representatives of the labour unions in the state led by Comrade Adetunji said the massive school is one of the reasons the workers took a decision long time ago to back the Aregbesola administration.

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Osun State branch, has hailed Governor Rauf Aregbesola for tightening security in the state.
Branch Controller Mr. Macduff Okorode Effetabore said businesses thrive in a secure environment.
Effetabore spoke at the weekend at the 2013 Dinner/Awards night for efficient banks at the Leisure Spring Hotel in Osogbo.
He said: “There is a causal relationship between business and the environment. Conducive environment allows businesses to thrive. With the peace in the state, the required ennoblement for businesses to flourish has been given a boost. At this juncture, join me to appreciate the Chief Security Officer of the state, Governor Aregbesola.
“Since he assumed office, he has created enabling environment for every citizen to go about his /her lawful business. Equally, appreciation goes to security agents –the Military, Police, State Security Service (SSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and others who have contributed to the peace enjoyed in the state.”
On the cashless policy, Effetabore said the implementation of the third phase would begin on July 1, adding that the CBN would hold sensitisation workshops in Osun State from February 25 to 27.
THE NATION

Osun State is committed to boosting its internally generated revenue (IGR) and relying less on federal allocation, Special Adviser to Governor Rauf Aregbesola on Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Bade Adeshina has said.
Speaking during the 2014 budget presentation, he said the government is repositioning and strengthening its IGR mechanisms by “beaming its searchlight towards the informal sector.”
Adeshina has allayed workers fears over the safety of their contributions in the pension scheme, adding that the governor is committed to improving workers’ welfare.
Speaking at a forum to sensitise pensioners, he said the state would ensure that the scheme is well-administered by competent persons.
According to him, participants should not worry about receiving their pensions after retirement as the contributions are kept with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in line with the Pension Reform Act 2004.
He said those who condemn the contributory pension scheme do so out of ignorance.
THE NATION

Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, has said that his determination  to reverse the rot in the public education  through the  new school reclassification policy is unstoppable.
He said this at the inauguration of the newly built Baptist Central Elementary School, Ilare, Ile Ife on Tuesday.
The ceremony had in attendance, the state governor’s wife, Sherifat;  the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori; the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Mr. Najeem Salam; other lawmakers; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade;  and commissioners.
The governor was dressed in a elementary school uniform together with his deputy and commissioners to the event.
Aregbesola, who has come under criticisms because of the  education policy, said that he would not stop because his aim was to ensure that pupils in public schools in the state had equal access to quality education, like their counterparts anywhere in the world.
He said, “Our mission to transform public education in the state is unstoppable. We want our children to have qualitative education and to be able to compete with other students from anywhere in the world.
“ This is a one-way journey and we will not be distracted  from this objective, even if it means that we have to step on toes.”
The governor said that he had no religious motives behind the transformation going on in the state.
He said the schools would admit  children irrespective of their ethnic or religious affiliation.
Aregbesola’s administration inherited rotten  public schools, declared that his regime had committed N31.31bn to transform the schools. All these efforts are in the  interest of the majority of the people of the state.
He said that his administration had continued to record trail-blazing achievements despite the dwindling allocations from the Federal Government.
Reacting to the claim of a governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Iyiola Omisore, the governor  said that the administration had only spent N1.2bn.
He said that criticism should be based on facts, rather than concocting lies to misinform the public to gain cheap publicity.
The deputy governor, who is also the commissioner for education, said the new school was a testimony of the sincerity of Aregbesola’s administration towards the education reform.
She described the   elementary school as an architectural masterpiece, which according to her, was designed not only to attract the pupils but also to provide a level-playing ground for them irrespective of their socio-economic background.
She said, “Education reform of this government is a complete package to provide a level-playing field for all pupils of school-going age in the state.
“We also introduced school meal system, called O’Meal, to provide balance diet to enhance physical and mental strength and development of the pupils.

“The school is an architectural masterpiece designed to accommodate 1,000 pupils. The classrooms are well-ventilated.”

PUNCH

The Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola will today, February 18 2014 commission one of the numerous Osun Elementary Schools in the State, Baptist Elementary Central School, Ilare in Ile-Ife.
The pictures below show the school located at the Ilare area of Ile Ife.
Osun Elementary Schools are built for pupils of primaries 1-4
“It is a fantastic project, may God continue to be with the Governor” said a parent.
Osun a dara!
 

 

Not less than 23,000 units of Opon Imo (tablet of knowledge) have been distributed to pupils in Osun State-owned schools, Commissioner for Special Duties Ajibola Bashiru has said.

Bashiru said the customised computer tablet was a critical part of the education revolution of the Governor Rauf Aregbesola administration.
He said the delay in the supply of the remaining tablets was caused by the need to reconfigure them.
The commissioner said the tablets were produced through a partnership between the state and a Chinese firm.
He said the partnership would also lead to the production of durable and affordable telephone handsets at the state’s Technology Village.
Bashiru said: “We are doing this for technological transfer because it would not be economic to import that magnitude of devices from abroad. So, why not have the manufacturing company here? As we speak, the company is on ground and the manufacturing and installation of the software of this product is being done in Ilesa.
“The company will meet the telephone demands of Nigerians at a cheaper rate. Over 5,000 indigenes have been trained on the manufacturing of telecommunication devices and some of have been sent to Ghana for further training.”
He said the administration recruited about 7,350 teachers, who were trained to improve learning in public schools.
Bashiru said: “When the Aregbesola administration assumed office, we brainstormed on how to jump start the non-existent economy, because the allocation that accrues to the state from the Federation Account was not enough to pay salary. That was why we got the Chinese firm to produce the computer tablets here and established a garment factory to produce school uniforms in the state.”