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From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Osun State Government has debunked insinuation that the structural integrity test being carried out on mega schools was to witch-hunt former governor Rauf Aregbesola.
A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Wole Oyebamiji, said the purpose of the test was to ascertain the level of the schools and for safety of students, teachers and all workers in the affected schools.
“It is not in contention that the model schools were built by the last administration. However, the responsibility of keeping the students, teachers and all workers using the facilities rest on the shoulders of the present government.
“It is a duty the governor swore an oath to perform. That is why we will not wait for disaster to happen before exercising abundance of caution. It is therefore sad and appalling to think that some people will politicise every noble act of governance based on sound professional advice and done with full sense of responsibility to proactively protect properties that belong to government and the life of our young citizens.”
Noting that the origin of the structural challenges in a few of the model schools predated the Oyetola administration, Oyebamiji said, “a few months after the swearing-in of Mr. Oyetola as the Governor of the State, some of the facility managers appointed by the previous administration complained to the new administration about the shocking, accelerated deterioration and alarming disintegration of some of the schools under them.
“Based on this complaint, the new administration in early 2019 requested one of the facility managers, Engr (Mrs) C. B Olajide, who was the one in charge of maintenance of the mega schools and also a Senior Special Assistant to former Governor Rauf Aregbesola to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the physical conditions of the 10 functional Mega schools and come up with repair and rehabilitation needs.
“The consultant came up with a disturbing report containing a wide range of defects and glaring material failures in schools commissioned between 2016 and 2018.
“The report, submitted in April 2019, specifically raised some structural concerns that questioned the safety of occupants of two of the schools namely Ayedaade Grammar School, Ikire and Fakunle Comprehensive High School, Osogbo.
“In accordance with best professional practice, Engr (Mrs.) C. B Olajide then suggested that comprehensive tests be carried out on all the schools as precautionary and preventive measures especially in reported cases of settling foundation,” the statement added.
