From Audu Joe, Lokoja
In his task to boost qualitative education in Kogi, Governor Yahaya Bello has announced the stepping up of budgetary allocation to educational sector from 20 to 30% in the 2022 fiscal year.
The Governor who noted the importance of education as the bedrock of development, said , he will ensure that both infrastructural development and welbeing of teachers and students are enhanced for maximum productivity.
Bello made the promise yesterday in Lokoja during the grand finale of the 4 weeks Pharmacist Abdukareem Asuku Youth Empowerment Foundation PAAYEF Quiz Competition for public Secondary Schools in Kogi state.
He said, as a beneficiary of public Educational system and have been blessed to the level of being a Governor of the state, he will have no cause than to raise the bar for the future generations.
He vowed to make public Schools in the state very attractive to the young ones , stressing that Education has remained one of the critical thematic areas of his administration.
He informed that the state Education law has forbidden pupils from roaming the streets when they are supposed to be in school, promising to deploy enough resources to the sector that will make private schools unattractive to students and their parents.
While assuring to make kogi attain number one position in Education in the country, the Governor said he will work hard to make Educational institutions free from bandits and kidnappers.
According to him , “No child during my tenure, will be abducted from schools or anywhere across the state . I will not tolerate politicisation of Security in the state. We have put measures in place to safeguard our pupils and their teachers and i call on stakeholders to join the crusade.”
While commending the promoter of the Foundation, Pharmacist Abdukareem Asuku, who is also his Chief of Staff, enjoined his appointees and elected members in the administration to contribute to the development of Education in the state.
He averred that, it was his desire to tap the numerous solid minerals that abound in the state using relevant manpower that in formed the establishment of Confluence University of Science and Technology Osara and massive investment into Korean Institute of Advanced Technology KOICA in Lokoja.
Meanwhile, the state commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Wemi Jones, disclosed that kogi which was rated number 28 in Waec pass rate in 2018, had worked hard to change the narrative by upscaled to 14 position in the last Waec released result.
He assured the people that the state will not rest on its oars until it has won first position in all public examinations in the country, urging all stakeholders to contribute their quota to the development of Educational sector.
The Commissioner who was happy with the performance of the students, said, the exercise has opened up challenges facing the sector and promised to tackle them head-on.
He said , giving necessary encouragement, the students can compete favourably with their counterparts nationally and internationally.
Jones, however, called on Corporate Organisations and individuals to support the sector, saying the needed support could come in various forms ranging from financial, Old students Contributions and Community protecting and preserving Education infrastructures in their domains.
In a remark, the founder, Pharmacist Abdukareem Asuku said, the competition was his modest contribution to raise confidence and consciousness of students of public schools in the state.
He disclosed that the four weeks events had three schools each as zonal winners held between 25th September– 9th October, 2021.
According to him , three schools, Govt. Secondary school Okenya, Igalamela LGA, Saint Peters College Idah and Our Lady of Schools Anyigba emerged winners from Kogi East.
Ebira Community Secondary School Ogaminana, Demonstration Secondary School Okene and Government Science Secondary School Ogaminana from the Central Zone while Saint Augustine Kabba , Anglican Secondary School Iyara and Titcombe College Egbe from the west.
He disclosed that the students were tested in English Language, Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Chemistry and General papers.
He said at the final event , inter school debate was introduced in which Saint Augustine College Kabba beat their opponent Ebira Community Secondary School Ogaminana, while Esther Itopa, from Harmony Secondary School Lokoja, the only private school featured in the event won the spelling Bee.
Meanwhile, Tijani Sadig from Demonstration Secondary School Onikuko Ogaminana won first position in the written test pocketing a university scholarship from the foundation.
While, Musa Alhassan , Government Science Secondary School Okenya and Sam Abdullazeez from ECSS Ogaminana who came second and third positions respectively would have their school and WAEC or NECO fees borne by the Foundation, even as Abu David of Saint Peters College, Idah and Seidu Adavuruku of Demonstration Secondary School bagged consolation prizes.