Jimi Agbaje, the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos has again reiterated his resolve to make the provision of qualitative and affordable education the focus of his administration if voted into power.
Agbaje said this in a statement signed and released on Thursday by the spokesperson of his campaign team, Modupe Ogunbayo, during a rally held at Ikorodu, a popular township in Lagos.
Agbaje is disturbed that, on average, only 20 percent of Lagos State students have passed WAEC in the last two decades. “I attended public schools for all my education. Public schools were the best institutions one could send children to in those days because they offer the best all-round development of the child,” he said,
“Quality education is the foundation for creating sustainable development. Therefore, an access to affordable, available and high-quality inclusive education is a high priority for us, in line with Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals,” Agbaje said.
Towards the realisation of this objective, Agbaje aims at a holistic solution to the challenges facing the education sector in Lagos.
According to him, I will establish an education system that equips children with future-ready skills and qualifications, from the primary to tertiary level so they can be globally competitive and develop innovations that will solve the problems of Lagos and by extension, the nation.
Therefore, Agbaje will provide Lagos with a labour force that is fit for this purpose through affordable quality education across all levels. The lack of quality teachers, inadequate and poor infrastructure and the dearth of educational aids and teaching materials are some of the problems the education sector still faces.
An Agbaje administration will particularly emphasise the improvement of vocational training institutions and ensure a better future for them through the provision of opportunities to graduates of vocational and technical schools through partnerships with the public sector. This would fill the employment challenges of approximately 91,000 graduates annually from both public and private vocational schools.
For higher quality of education also, Agbaje will review and revise the dated school curriculum so as to effectively prepare the youth for the future; prioritise the use of information communication technology (ICT) as a major platform for learning. This means provision of adequate infrastructure such as Computers, internet access etc. to public schools.
Agbaje also aims at reviewing the standards and processes for monitoring performance and achievements in schools at all levels through the establishment of a reporting and feedback mechanism. Doing this would enable schools to take appropriate remedial action, based on the reports of inspectors.
The infrastructural decay of Lagos schools is another matter of urgent action for Agbaje. The improvements in the quality of educational content will not yield much dividends if it is imparted in a non-conducive environment.
“It is preposterous that pupils and students are sitting under trees to acquire basic education in some public schools in Lagos,” he said.
He said urgent attention will be paid to the cost-efficient renovation of classrooms, furniture, laboratories and other infrastructure.
“You can only give what you have. Only the best trainer can train one to be the best so, we will ensure the provision of high quality teachers and the professionalisation of teaching in our schools through training, encouragement of certification, instituting a programme of continuous professional development and reviewing the remuneration of teachers.
The needs particularly, the educational desires of the physically-challenged will also be taken into consideration in an Agbaje government through the upgrade, renovation and provision of properly equipped special needs schools.
Above all, i will upgrade the State College of Education by improving existing facilities and pursuing affiliation with the Lagos State University (LASU) for appropriate degrees and certification. Incentives to ensure more enrolment of Lagos’ indigenes in tertiary institutions will be pursued through the provision of bursaries and scholarships for them, Agbaje concluded.
