…Conversion of libraries to staff rooms

By Oluseye Ojo

Hundreds of female students from public secondary schools in Oyo State have appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde, to assist them and their male colleagues not to record mass failure in next year’s Senior School Certificate Examinations(SSCE) and subsequent external examinations.

They made the appeal when they were given a microphone at the Oyo State School Girls General Assembly 3.0, held at the Event Hall of the Local Government Service Commission, Oyo State Government Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.

The programme was organised by the Mentoring Assistance for Youths and Entrepreneurs Initiative (MAYEIN), in partnership with the African Union/European Union Youth Action Lab, the Oyo State.

Ministry of Education as well as other stakeholders, including teachers and mentors.

The students said many of them and their teachers have not had access to computer training that could prepare them ahead of migrating SSCE from manual handwriting to Computer Based Test (CBT). They advocated for computer laboratories in each of the schools for them to have the necessary exposure.

Some of the students also stated that their school libraries have been converted to staff rooms for teachers. They added that some of the schools that have computer centres have also had the centres converted to staff rooms.

One of the students specifically said government attention has not touched some schools as they have leaking roofs. She explained that whenever the heavens opened their windows and sent water down to the earth, it has always been a grueling experience for them, during school hours at Humani Alaga Secondary School, Ibadan.

They also requested for recruitment of qualified counsellors that have integrity to guide them in their career paths.

Speaking on the occasion, the Executive Director, MAYEIN, Ewa Orowale, who described this year’s Oyo Schoolgirls Assembly as a special gathering, where every girl’s voice mattered, recalled: “When we started the Girls in Education Dialogues (GED) project, we had one vision, which is to create spaces where girls are seen, heard, and supported to thrive.

“We must continue to build schools that are safe, inclusive, and free from discrimination. We must continue to raise boys who respect and support girls as equals. We must continue to demand systems that do not limit a girl’s potential because of her gender or her background.”

The founder of MAYEIN, Edem Dorathy Ossai; lawmakers from Oyo State House of Assembly, Abiodun Babalola, and Olufunke Comforter; educationist, Dr. Helen Chatburn-Ojehomon; Deputy Vice Chancellor of Lead City University, Ibadan, Prof Omolara Campbell; Justice Adenike Adeeyo, who represented the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Iyabo Yerima; and Delayo Adetunji Oriekun, in their separate contributions, listed solutions to the problems