Stakeholders lauds Oyo school governing board initiative


Stakeholders in the education sector in Oyo state have commended the School Governing Board (SGB) initiative in public secondary schools, describing it as effective.

In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan Wednesday, the stakeholders said there had been remarkable improvement in the quality of education in public schools since the inauguration of the SGBs in 2016.

The SGB chairman at Estate High School, Akobo, Professor  Clement Kolawole, described the initiative as  fantastic.

He said the participation of parents, old students associations and selected members of the public in the management of public secondary education in the state has had positive impact.

“I know how much of my personal money I have spent and that of each member of the board in paying students’ fees, buying books and organising end of the year/valedictory service we haven’t had from 15 to 20 years in the school.

“We have been able to organise the community to own the school and they are actively engaged in the administration of the school through suggestions, donations and the overall running of the school, this is excellent,” he said.

Kolawole, a professor of Education at the University of Ibadan, said he was a beneficiary of the free education scheme.

He said he was giving back voluntarily to help salvage the education sector and develop Nigeria’s future.

The chairman of SGB at Methodist High School, Ibadan, Dr Ademola Idowu, said the initiative had impacted positively on public schools.

He said this was because government cannot bear the burden of education alone owing to the present economic realities on ground.

“So as SGB,  we are to harness so many stakeholders including old boys association, parent teachers association and others to see how we can move the school forward not only in terms of academics but also in infrastructural development.

“In the last two years, we have provided tables and chairs for students because it is not proper for students to sit on the bare floor.  We also fixed leaking roofs and ceilings.

“Luckily, the old boys helped in sinking a borehole, built laboratory and so on; but our greatest challenge is the dwindling funds,” Idowu said.

The national president of Methodist High School Old Boys Association, Professor  Joseph Akinrinmade, said though the initiative was helpful, there were still a lot of administrative constraints.

“It is difficult for school principals to come to terms with the new policy as most still see themselves as school heads and they see other members of SGB as coming to take over their responsibilities.

“Also, members of the Local Inspectorate of Education (LIE) are not doing their job; there is a lot of compromise. If they should do their job there would be fewer problems.

“So government ought to follow up with all the policies and make sure that they are implemented to the letter,” Akinrinmade said.

However, an education evaluation expert and staff  of the University of Ibadan, Professor Adams Onuka,  identified lack of continuity in government policies as the bane of the nation’s development.

“SGB is a collaborative and participatory approach to education development in Oyo state and there has been improvement and results to show for it from what I gathered when it started.

“But as Nigerians, we lack maintenance culture and the ability to sustain good programmes.

“Our impatience and lack of continuation of laudable governmental policies are major setbacks to numerous initiatives and intervention we have had in this country.

“Whoever succeeds the incumbent administration in the state should continue and improve on the programme.

“The new government should undertake preliminary investigation into its operation and achievements and seek to improve on what has been done instead of trashing the programme and inventing another one which might not be sustained by the next administration after him.

“This is how we can move forward as a nation,” Onuka said.

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