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By Stephen Adeleye.
The Kogi Government on Saturday urged the private sector, communities and individuals to partner government on education for sustainable development.
The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Rosemary Osikoya, made the appeal while inaugurating a block of five classrooms in Ogugu Community Secondary School (OCSSS), Ogugu, Olamaboro Local Government Area.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the block of classrooms which was affected by rainstorm, was renovated by a group, Ogugu District Initiative (ODI).
“Though there are roles that government must play, but communities own the responsibility to ensure that the educational goal is achieved. Without education, there can never be any meaningful development.
“So, ODI has again showcased that beyond what the government can do, a group can also come together willingly to make things better than the way it should be.
“Again, I will like to say that I am excited that this is the second school in the state where we are recording community ownership in the sector.
“Communities and well-meaning individuals in the society should partner government on education, because every one of us has an obligation to make impact in schools in our domain,’’ Osikoya said.
“On behalf of His Excellency, Gov. Yahaya Bello, I say thank you for supporting the government because government cannot work in isolation, ” the commissioner said.
The commissioner said that Gov. Bello had been giving adequate attention and commitment to the sector by consistently increasing and making double digits budget allocation to education.
Mr Shaibu Joel, the School Principal, commended ODI for the initiative and for saving the school from total collapse.
He said that the students, the staff, Parent-Teacher Association members and the entire community remained ever grateful for the golden initiative.
The principal, however, urged the government to assist in perimeter fencing, security guards, more computers and laboratory equipment, to enhance effective teaching and learning in the school.
In his remarks, the ODI President, Mr Gabriel Akorh, said the group had been able to renovate the classrooms but needed more support from the state government and individuals.
“We want to draw the attention of the government to the poor state of infrastructure in our community school. We desire better education standard and we are ready to partner government.
“The school has about 20 hectares and we want the government to help us reclaim the land from encroachment, ’’ Akorh said.
(NAN)
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