•Why public school students are not getting equal exposure on education innovations
By Jet Stanley Madu
It may not totally be out of place to state that most initiatives designed to enhance education has not benefited students in the public schools. This fact was glaringly observed at the 9th Total School Support Seminar/Exhibition (TOSSE).
This year’s edition of the programme showcased exhibitors, producers/marketers of education products and service providers in the sector from Cameroun, Kenya, Togo, Benin Republic and 25 states across Nigeria. It was two days of learning, interacting and updating of oneselves with innovations within the education sector.
The programme is an annual event organized by Edumark Consult. Like in other years, this year’s conference/exhibition had in attendance, scores of stakeholders from the private sector. Players from the publicly run schools were conspicuously absent.
The Sun Education wanted to know why efforts were not made to expose staff and students in government-owned schools to such laudable and lofty initiatives. Mrs. Yinka Ogunde, who is the progenitor of the programme regretted the non-involvement of students in government-owned schools and said that it perplexes her whenever she is confronted with the question, explaining that as one outside the corridors of power, she had always written the government, seeking support and collaboration.
She pointed out that, “no school can come here without authority from the Ministry (of Education). I cannot force the public school administrators to bring their pupils and students to the programmes. The only thing I can do is write them in Alausa. Alausa will give the Tutor General instruction.”
She explained further: “At WATFON (We’re The Future of Our Nation), we were begging the Alausa people to send children, and they’re not paying. We begged and begged. But nobody came. I think all we need do as individuals is to continue to invite them. Perhaps, next year they will come. We are looking forward to welcoming the public sector next year”.
Earlier, during the media briefing to kick-start the event, Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule, recognized the need for the involvement of pupils and students from the public sector in projects and programmes aimed at boosting education.
She assured of the state government’s support, stating that the governor, Akinwunmi Ambode is so much concerned about the kind of education being rolled out for students in the state.
The deputy governor who spoke through the Tutor General/Permanent Secretary, Education District 1, Dr. Yinka Ayodele, assured that the state government seeks to ensure quality education that would be functional and relevant to the child and to his immediate environment and the world at large.
In her remarks, former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Sarah Sosan, commended Ogunde for her consistency and commitment to quality education to the children and the country at large and for taking the initiative to the international level.
On the theme of the programme, “Creating A World of Possibilities”, she posited that possibilities to grow education abound in Nigeria particularly, in technology.
Sosan noted that though the cost of developing technology could be high, “if we spend money we will get money.” She urged private school owners to take advantage of technology and to continue to partner public schools to move education forward.
The keynote address was delivered by former Commissioner for Education, Ogun State, Dr. Tunji Abimbola, and now, Acting Principal, Day Waterman College, Ogun State. He asserted that the globe which he described as “a world of technology” is moving so rapidly and posited that education ought to move with it. Citing examples with technological devices such as cell phones, he explained that much more can be achieved with it than can be imagined.
Abimbola called on education policy makers to adequately empower teachers and optimally utilize the emerging educational opportunities that abound to grow the sector.
Throwing more light on the objectives of TOSSE, while fielding questions from newsmen, Ogunde stated that the project seeks ways of adding value to the education sector, noting that this is why government support is highly desirable. According to her, the exhibition has grown due to the tremendous support of the various key stakeholders in the education sub community like WAPIC as well as organizations developing productions for the education sector.
Among facilitators at the seminars was the Director General, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Ronke Shoyombo, who spoke on quality assurance in schools.