A group under the banner of Ekiti Build Back Better, has described the education policy of former Governor Segun Oni as the best radical approach ever taken to reignite the education sector in the state.
The group said Ekiti witnessed radical upliftment of the education under Oni’s administration, saying such would be reignited if reelected on June 18 governorship election in the state.
The group’s spokesman, Mr Idowu Adelusi , said this in a statement in Ado Ekiti on Monday, saluting the Oni’s thoroughness and dedication to education and why he worths being reelected as the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Cataloguing those lofty soul-lifting policies reeled out by Oni in Ekiti in his first term, Adelusi posited that the establishment of The University of Education, Ikere Ekiti and University of Science and Technology, Ifaki Ekiti helped in expanding the educational frontiers to meet the yearnings of the citizenry in the areas of Teachibg, Science and Technology.
“Considering the rate and the standard at which the two universities were growing under the Segun Oni’s government, both institutions could have ranked among the best Universities in Nigeria and internationally today, if they were not unduly closed down”.
Pooh-poohing the reason adduced by Fayemi for the merger, Adelusi maintained that while the two Universities were being steadily developed under Oni’s administration, that EKSU then and all other higher institutions were neither neglected not underfunded.
Too buoy educational sector and make Ekiti the cynosure of all eyes in the area of scholarship globally, Adelusi said Oni facilitated a collaboration with a South Korean University for a 2-Year Free Students Exchange Programme and for the University to Build a 3-in-1 Standard Laboratory Complex for USTI.
“Arrangements were already made with 30 high flying Second year students from various Departments in USTI to South Korea for a 2-Year Students Exchange Program and for work to commence on a 3-in-1 Standard Laboratory Project”.
Adelusi applauded the former governor for reignited compulsory Boarding system in public secondary schools with generating sets and modern Internet facilities provided to give comfort to boarders.
In a bid to make Ekiti school entrepreneurial-compliant and tackled unemployment, Adelusi said Oni introduced production of breads, poultry, exercise books and school chalks in public secondary schools; through which students could make a living and become employers of labour after leaving school.
“He awarded Adequate and Sustainable Scholarships and Bursaries Ranging from N50, 000 to N1.5m to all qualified Ekiti Students In higher Institutions of Learning both at home and abroad, from OND up to the Ph.D level.
“He purchased free JAMB Forms and provided three Months free coaching for prospective candidates 2 Years Before He Became Governor and Throughout His Tenure in Office.
“Several Youths were also prepared for and put on Free Educational Trainings in Oversea Countries such as Portugal, before, during and even after he became Governor and some up to now”, he stated.
Packaged by Emmanuel Adeniran
