Community leader urges `special fund’ to address decaying infrastructure in public schools
NAN-H-23
Schools
Omu-Aran (Kwara) Feb. 19, 2017 (NAN) Chief Bisi Adeyemi, President, Omu-Aran Development Association (ODA), Kwara State, has called on state governments to establish `special funds’ for the rehabilitation of dilapidated infrastructure in public schools.
Adeyemi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Omu-Aran that the dilapidated state of public primary and secondary schools across the country was a cause for concern.
He said that the special intervention fund by state governments with adequate private sector participation would help tackle the ugly trend and help develop this particular segment of the education sector.
According to the community leader, such intervention fund will assist in complementing the Education Trust Fund (ETF) to achieve optimum students’ performance.
“Such special fund, which is to assist in the rehabilitation of dilapidated structures in public schools, is not in conflict with the ETF.
“Rather, it is to complement ETF efforts at solving the decayed infrastructure and other developmental issues, most especially in rural public schools,’’ he said.
Adeyemi also called on wealthy individuals and corporate bodies within communities where such schools were located to support the transformation of public schools in their areas.
He urged government to prioritise teachers’ welfare through adequate training, salaries and allowances to further boost the morale.
Adeyemi described primary schools as the bedrock of the education system and a foundation that must not be toyed with.
“Once the foundation of primary education is weak, there cannot be any meaningful impact on other segments of education development,’’ he said (NAN).
ISHO/GOM/WOJ
(Edited by Gregory Mmaduakolam / Wale Ojetimi)