Guardian

NO fewer than 28 public primary schools in Agege Local Council, Constituency II, Lagos, would benefit from an education support programme aimed at giving free writing materials to public school pupils.

The programme, an initiative of Lagos State House of Assembly member, Oluyinka Ogundimu, is to promote free education in public schools.

At the flag-off held at Dairy Farm Primary School Complex, Agege, about 200 pupils representing some of the 28 primary schools collected writing materials. Besides the writing materials, projectors and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment were also given to the schools.

Ogundimu said the programme was in response to the need of pupils in public schools.

He said: “Our goal is to return standard to our public schools and there has been great improvement lately. Now, our schools are competitive as shown by the results coming from public schools in Agege. This new support would further boost excellence. It is one of those things that I promised them during my election campaign and this is in fulfillment of the promise.”

Stressing the importance of education, Ogundimu advised parents and guardians present at the ceremony to enroll their wards in the ongoing compulsory free Nursery/Universal Basic Education for the 2013/2014 school year.

Outstanding teachers in the constituency were also rewarded at the event attended by State government officials, traditional rulers, members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), educationists among others.

Mr. David Owolabi went home with the Overall Best Teacher’s prize, while Mrs Titilola and Mrs Salami Kudirat were rewarded with the first and second runners up prizes.

Education Secretary for the Local Council, Olalekan Majiyagbe commended the programme, describing it as a motivation for the schools to do more.

“The lawmaker is giving us education materials and awards to our teachers. We are elated to get this and it is well -deserved. Our records speak for us. We have the Overall Best School in Lagos State, the best Local Council, we produce the best teacher, pupils, best in science, best ICT centre and so on. With the new support programme, we are challenged to do more,” he said.

Majiyagbe advised stakeholders to focus more on ICT education and do more for teachers’ welfare. “Teachers are assets. No matter the policy made by government, the implementation starts from the class. But that is the tragedy. If teachers are neglected in the class, then policy implementation will suffer,” he said.