A panel set up by the Osun State government to review its education policy on Monday submitted its report.
Among its eleven recommendations were the reinstatement of hiterto single-sex schools to their initial form and the implementation of the national education policy which dictates the 6-3-3-4 system.
Governor Gboyega Oyetola received the report of the panel of the Education Policy Review Roundtable Summit at the Governor’s Office, Abere, Osogbo.
The panel had a mandate to review and come up with workable recommendations that could further improve the State’s education system.
Its goal was towards addressing certain concerns by stakeholders in the state.
Some of its recommendations were a departure from some of the practices under the immediate past administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
Aregbesola who is now a federal minister had, as part of his decisions while in power, converted some boys only and girls only schools to coeducational primary and secondary schools.
He also introduced the concept the nationally obsolete middle school into the Osun State education system.
But the panel chaired by education professor, Olu Aina proposed measures for the state aligned with the provisions of the National Policy on Education.
He noted that the panel proposed recommendations were within the context of the national education policy and global best practices.
For instance, the merging of Primary 5 and 6 violated the 6-3-3-4 structure.
EduCeleb.com understands that this merger came up during the initiative of the school feeding programme under Aregbesola. But the committee feels it should not be the case, however commendable the intention was back then.
Aina added that the creation of “the 4-5-3-4 and the Middle School are unknown to the National Policy on Education (NPE).”
However, the Aina led panel recommended the retaining of Opon Imo, a digital tablet introduced under the Aregbesola administration to improve students’ access to teaching materials.
The committee also proposed that medications be provided in schools.
It also suggested as desirable the retaining of the posts of Head Masters General and Tutors General in the rank of Permanent Secretary among others.
“The issues were subjected to comprehensive and critical review; they were individually discussed in consideration of situating the education policies of the State of Osun within the context of the overall national education policy and global best practices, and especially considering the interest of students and their parents.
“Even though education is on the concurrent legislative list of the Constitution of Nigeria, a state policy should be closely aligned to, and flow from the National Policy so that products of our education policy and practice are not disadvantaged,” Prof. Aina added.
While receiving the report, the Governor Oyetola assured the public that his government remains committed to improving every sector as its policies and programmes are driven by citizens’ needs.
He said his administration inaugurated the committee to reposition the state as a committment to securing future of the children and those
unborn.
Quoting a renowned American author, John C. Maxwell, who has written many books on leadership, Oyetola, who noted ‘a man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.”
He further said every responsible and responsive government must make people’s demands the basis of its policies and implementation.
“It was our desire to hearken to the yearnings and aspirations of the citizenry that necessitated this review in the first instance.
“As a government, our policies and programmes are driven by citizens’ needs. These needs which were further validated by the United Kingdom Department for International Development’s (DFID)- funded Citizens Needs Assessment exercise in Osun, were harvested during the Thank You Tour/Town Hall Meetings, where the people told us in plain language that they wanted some aspects of our educational policies removed, adjusted or improved upon.
“That was what led to the Policy Review Roundtable Summit, the report of which we are receiving today. We are prepared to do what will improve the lots of our people and protect the future of our children.
“As a leader therefore, I am conscious of the need to be just and fair to all manner of people regardless of their leanings in the discharge of my duties. This I will always uphold.
He commended members of the panel “for investing their time in the future of our children and those unborn.”
“Rest assured that your efforts will not be in vain. We will be swift and proactive in debating it at our level with a view to implementing the recommendations without any further delay,” Oyetola added.
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[…] approval was given based on the recommendations made by a panel led by Olu Aina, which was set up to review the education policies of the past […]