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From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
The National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS) has told Governor Dapo Abiodun that the ban on Parents Teachers Association (PTA) in secondary schools in the state has created more problems than anticipated when it was carried out, urging him to lift the proscription order.
National President of the association Ogunronbi Oluwagbemileke said in a statement made available to reporter in Ibadan on Tuesday that the problems the proscription has created in the educational sector have become more noticeable in the recent time.
According to him, “Over the years, PTA had remained a formidable support system in our schools system and in the face of the recent developments, the state government must not shy away from revisiting the decision. Students body in Ogun State are of the view that issues surrounding accountability and regulation of PTA fee and activities should be considered rather than the proscription. This will in no small measure reduce the pressure on the government and make provision for basic needs within the school possible.
“The government should also as part of the efforts to revamp the education sector ensure that the zonal education officers in each local governments be more proactive in carrying out their responsibilities. It was on record that the lethargic and unresponsive antics of some of these officers towards their duties contributed to the issues surrounding the proscription order by the government.
“We would like to place on record that the students body appreciates the interventions of Governor Dapo Abiodun-led state government to salvage the educational sector in the state since inception. However, the accumulated rots and dysfunctional policies in the sector have continued to submerge the efforts.
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“The renovation of 1,000 classrooms and construction of new buildings by the present administration and other projects across the 20 local governments in the face of dwindling financial resources by the state government is a good work that needed to be stepped up The national secretariat of National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS National), will continue to call for the implementation of novel reforms so as to ease the burden on the government and instantaneously improve the quality of pedagogical endeavours in the classroom.
“We have deduced the need for Ogun State Government to fully appreciate and recognize the futility in trying to resolve all issues connected to education in the gateway state alone. We believe that quality education cannot be achieved in a country like Nigeria if placed exclusively in the hands of the government. We then call on other societal machineries to be allowed to play prominent roles and thereby complement the government’s efforts.”
The association also appealed to the government “on the need to facilitate an holistic educational policy and legislation reviews. The archaic ones should be expunged to make way for much needed progress in line with global best practices, even as we are calling on parents to rise up to their responsibilities and should not place all blames on the government at all times.”
