Kogi State Government has inaugurated Committee on Education For All Project (EDUFAP) aimed at developing and improving public schools, especially the secondary school system across the 21 local government areas of the state.
The committee was inaugurated by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Folashade Ayoade at the Government House, Lokoja.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the inauguration on Monday, the State’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Wemi Jones, said that EDUFAP was an initiative of the state’s ministry of education, science and technology, which had full approval and support of Governor Yahaya Bello.
According to Jones, EDUFAP is an initiative designed to raise donations in cash and kind to enable the renovations, constructions, furnishing and equipping of schools, classrooms, science laboratories and school libraries across schools in the State.
He restated that EDUFAP was aimed at renovating dilapidated school buildings, furnishing and equipping laboratories and libraries of public schools particularly secondary schools.
The Commissioner stressed that EDUFAP would focus on the 285 secondary schools in the state which have no support from Universal Basic Education (UBEC) and TETFUND which catered for primary and tertiary school systems respectively.
”EDUFAP aims at sourcing for resources and materials, and using them judiciously for schools in the state.
”EDUFAP is to enlighten, inform, and encourage stakeholders, organisations, institutions, donors, philanthropists and well meaning individuals to support education like it is done in other States.
”In view of the dwindling revenue accrue to state on account of Covid-19 pandemic and other economic challenges; it is reasonable to think of other way to critically address that very important part of our education system because the state government is ready to do what it can for the purpose of taking care of the secondary schools, but government effort will not be enough in view of the number of secondary schools that we have and present challenged situations of those schools.
”The government is willing and ready to address these issues very squarely but it will be easier if we have the support we are requesting from corporate and individuals.
”By the time we are done, other States will come to learn from us how we were able to transformed the secondary schools system in Kogi State,” he said.
The commissioner noted that many schools buildings had been destroyed by rain storms, flood and others which occurred at a time we were battling with Covid-19 pandemic.
He, therefore, called on corporate organisations and private individuals to come to the aid of the state government in solving the problems facing secondary school system in the state.
The committees inaugurated include: Strategic Committee, Core Committee and Expanded Committee.
The Strategic Committee has Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon Wemi Jones, FCIB, as the Chairman, while the Permanent Secretary Education, Pastor Emmanuel Idenyi as Committee Secretary.
Other members include: Commissioners for: Finance, Budget and Planning; Information and Communication; Women Affairs & Social Development; Youths and Sports; Commerce & Industry; Solid Minerals; Water Resources; Local Govt. & Chieftaincy Affairs; Rural Development; Works; and Culture & Tourism.
Others were: Chairman and Members State House of Assembly on Education; Chairman STETSCOM; and Chairman ANCOPSS.
