Worried by the abysmal performances of both primary and secondary school students in Osun State, government of the state has concluded plans to hold an education summit to address the distressing development.
The planned summit according to the Commissioner for Education, Hon Dipo Eluwole will kick off on 22 and end on 24 of August, 2023.
Reeling out the programmes of the three days event at a press conference addressed at the Ministry of Education, Abere, Eluwole said an array of resource persons and stakeholders will converge to address the situation and proffer solution.
Eluwole said Osun state has declined on performance in the recent school certificate examinations, saying the summit will afford many stakeholders an opportunity to brainstorm and find a lasting solution to the poor performances in various national and school examinations.
He said the Adeleke administration is unhappy with the dwindling education performance of students, hence, the urgent need to bring back the lost glory of education in the state.
Eluwole said that the recent rating of Osun State among other schools across the country in the examination performance is poor and the initiative of the summit will afford various stakeholders to come out with effective plans that will enhance qualitative education in the state .
While identifying areas in the Education sector that will be reviewed, the commissioner said the collapse of the school inspectorate services, which is the mandate of his ministry was another undeniable factor that got the state education sector this bad.
He said: ” We all know that an average employee hardly works without monitoring and supervision. Where then are the School Inspectors (Olubewo) of the olden days?
“Their roles have been hijacked and we have teachers monitoring themselves which obviously gives room for empathy. In fact, the sector was politicized so much that the statutory roles of the state Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) is being played by education district offices.
“This leads to function overlaps that put teachers in serious confusion about whose order to obey. The already inadequate number of teachers are posted to education district offices as monitoring officers and directors hence, there is a rat race for offices instead of classrooms.
“What shall we say about parent’s’ reckless abandonment of their roles as sponsors of their children education? Most parents rely absolutely on government to shoulder the responsibilities of their children educational needs.
“This is quite unlike Yoruba parents of old. Deviant behaviors of students contribute more to the annual dance of shame the state displays at the release of public examinations results. The worst part is that such children have the backing of the parents to resist teachers from administering punishment on their erring children.”
According to him, “Osun education sectoral problems are quite hydra-headed and except an overhaul sectorial reform is taken fast, it could become irredeemable. That is why the state 2023 education summit is not only desirable but also timely. The summit must address the followings among others”
He said, “The rebirth of centered policies that will make the school and its environment child-friendly, conducive, safe and motivating not just an ostentatious display of architectural wizardry.
“The holistic sectoral reform that will bring back the statutory mandate of monitoring and evaluation in the State Ministry of Education devoid of function overlaps between teachers and education officers.”
He disclosed that a citical look into the standard required for recruitment of teachers, lecturers and education officers without interference from the political class otherwise, non-academic teachers and lecturers shall be recruited continually.
He said successive governments should endeavor to build on the good legacies of their predecessors in office rather than starting new set of projects and programmes, noting “It is high time we realized that governance is a continum.”
