By Stephen Adeleye.
The Kogi State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Wemi Jones, has assured that Governor Yahaya Bello’s Administration would make Kogi an educational hub of excellence in Northern Nigeria.
Jones gave the assurance on Saturday after an inspection tour to ongoing construction sites of GYB Model Science Schools and Technical Colleges in Okene, Okehi and Kabba/Bunu Local Government Areas of Kogi State.
He stressed that the governor had given topmost priority to education especially Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
”We want to create an educational hub of excellence in the whole of Northern Nigeria.
”We want Kogi to be that catalyst where you come for excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
”This is the ultimate desire of this government,” he said.
The commissioner disclosed that the governor had recently approved the establishment of some additional GYB model science secondary schools across the three senatorial districts of the state.
According to him, the intention is to deepen our quest towards ensuring that we continually remain focused on providing STEM education to Kogi students.
Jones added that the government was also doing something different by going the way of technical and vocational education.
”Today, we have inspected ongoing construction projects of GYB Model science secondary school, Iruvucheva in Okene, Government Technical College, Oboroke in Okehi, and we are here at GYB Model science school, Okebukun in Kabba/Bunu LGA.
”The other one we have not visited is located at Government Technical College, Idah.
”We are using a stone to kill several birds with the siting of a model science secondary school within a technical college.
”This will enable our students that attend the school to have access to technical and vocational training as well as very deep science education,” he said.
Jones noted that government would not build the University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), and not make effort to ensure that graduates from Kogi schools were eminently qualified to be admitted into the university.
He stressed that it would not be nice if the state’s university of science and technology was populated especially with students from the neighbouring States.
The commissioner emphasised that Kogi students should be the prime and ultimate beneficiaries of whatever would be coming out of CUSTECH.
”This is why the governor has seen that we need to strengthen the existing technical and science schools and also establish new ones.
”So that at the end of the day we would have a good pool of students that can be absorbed into our universities.
”When you plan and prepare very well, the only result you get is success,” the commissioner said.
