Ahead of secondary schools resumption later in the month, the Oyo state government is set to inaugurate a special group codenamed “Education Monitoring Marshalls.”
The state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Adeniyi Olowofela made the disclosure, Wednesday at the presentation of book list for 2017 to 2020 academic programs for schools in the state.
He said the policy is imperative in view of the declining moral behaviours among secondary school students, and particularly the need to discourage students from wandering around during school hours.
Explaining the initiative, Professor Olowofela said that the policy will help in raising more disciplined school children as the special tax force will be empowered to arrest and discipline students caught wandering out of school premises.
He assured the policy will in no long time change students attitude positively towards learning.
According to the education commissioner, the problem of indiscipline on the parts of the students have made many gone wayward and engaging in acts capable of promoting moral decadence in the society.
Speaking on the new list of books, he noted that the presentation of the books to the schools is response to the agitations for required book from different quarters across the state ahead of the school resumption slated for September 18.
While noting that the list of books will be available for free, Olowofela disclosed that, what is important is the contents of the books, which was the reason the reviewers checked the lists to ensure it is in line with recommended standard.
He further said that the effort is according to the requirements of the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi to reposition and restructure education in the state.
He said: “The recommendations of 31 member committee birthed School Governing Board, SGB initiative, ‘No Automatic Promotion’ and among other policies on education and have repositioned education in the state.
“The books recommended were carefully selected to achieve greater feat in education because Oyo State is the intellectual capital of the country and we have to maintain the tempo.
“The state government is also sanitising the system by removing from service those that are working with fake results and the intention is to have an efficient workforce”, the commissioner said.
Corroborating Olowofela’s view, the Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mrs. Ariyike Adekanmbi said the use of the list of books is sacrosanct because it is developed according to the curriculum used to set examinations.
She encourage the Local Inspector of Education, LIEs to monitor the compliance of all Schools to conform to the state government’s directives on education.
Also speaking, the Deputy Speaker, Oyo House of Assembly, Hon. Musa Abdulwasi commended the Ajimobi-led administration for executing unprecedented achievements in area of education in the state.
He said: “we have been engaging the ministry of education because it has greater impacts on the society and we thank the commissioner because he has not been found wanton.
“The agitations recently that the state government wanted to sell schools in the state, was the handiwork of the mischief makers. And the last year’s WAEC rating where it was gathered that Oyo State scored 29 per cent was not also true as it is not a true reflection of students’ performances in the state”, the lawmaker said.
