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Towards ensuring that no school age child in Ogun State is denied free qualitative education, the Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board in conjunction with Universal Basic Education Commission Abuja have inaugurated a 26-man committee on Pupils Enrolment Drive Campaign, to reduce the number of out of school children in the State.
The flag off was recently held at the Ministry of Education Conference Room, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Speaking at the event, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary and Secondary Education, Mrs. Ronke Soyombo who declared that Governor Dapo Abiodun MFR has put education at the front burner, stated that it was for this reason that huge amount was being expended on provision of infrastructural facilities and instructional materials to schools across the state.
Mrs. Soyombo who explained that every child deserves quality and quantitative education, said it is high time for everyone to support this initiative in order to ensure that the children roaming about the streets are brought back to learning environment.
She charged all Stakeholders including School-Based Management Committee (SBMC), Parents Teachers Associations (PTA), Civil Societies and the Media to aggressively mobilize and sensitize the general public on the importance of education across the State.
In his welcome address, the Board Secretary, Ogun SUBEB, Mr. Wasiu Olalekan Kuye appreciated the State Government for making education a priority, stating that the need for enrolment drive in the state became imperative to ensure that no child was denied basic education in compliance with UBEC directive to States.
Mr. Kuye emphasized the commitment of the Board through the department of Social Mobilisation on aggressive enrolment drive campaign in collaboration with Stakeholders to drastically reduce the rate of out-of-school children in the State and improve school enrolment.
In her goodwill message, the representative of the Universal Basic Education Commission, Mrs. Osas Kingsley-Odia applauded the State Government for keying into the Enrollment Drive initiative of UBEC. She enumerated the causes of out of school children, which include Illegal fees, Child Labour, Poverty among others. She implored all stakeholders to support the initiative in order to reduce the number of out of school children and urged the Committee to come up with good recommendations for UBEC so that other states would emulate.
Representative of His Royal Majesty, Agura of Gbaagura, Oba Saburi Babajide Bakare, Alhaji Obe charged parents and all other stakeholders to support this initiative. Likewise, the State Chairman, Association of Primary Schools Headteachers of Nigeria, Comrade Olatunji Balogun assured the State Government that headteachers and teachers would work towards achieving the aims of setting up the committee.
The Director, Social Mobilisation, Mr. Olusegun Alade, in his vote of thanks, appreciated the State Governor, His Excellency Prince Dapo Abiodun MFR., Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary and Secondary Education, the Board Secretary and other dignitaries present for their time and support for education for all. He then promised to work on key contributions and suggestions raised at the meeting.