By Babatunde Ayedoju

The Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Folashade Adegoke, has showered encomiums on the state Governor, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, for the infrastructural upgrade and renovation of public schools across the state, saying that it would improve on the quality of education in the state in no small way.

The Permanent Secretary gave the commendation while speaking with The Hope during inspection of some public secondary schools in Akure, following the resumption of schools for the third term, 2024/2025 academic session, on Monday.

Mrs. Adegoke disclosed that the Governor Aiyedatiwa-led administration had awarded about 75 projects in various schools, with contractors mobilised to the sites.

She said, “We have paid the contractors mobilisation fee, which is 30 percent and we are about making further payments. The contractors are working and some of them have even gone beyond what we have given them. Some have reached roofing in some of the projects that were approved to embark on.

“We want to thank our governor, because this will go a long way in helping the school system. When you have a solid infrastructure, students will be able to learn under a conducive environment.”

The Permanent Secretary also thanked the Ondo State Government for paying the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations registration fee for public school students in Ondo State, adding that the government had been doing that since 2021.

Meanwhile, she also expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance in the schools she visited, saying that the staff and students of the various schools were ready for the new term.

She said, “Third term is a very crucial term in this academic year, 2024-2025 session. The students and staff are prepared. You can see the students are ready for the principal’s test and the teachers have also resumed duty.”

At Fiwasaiye Girls Grammar School, the Principal, Mrs. Omobola Temitope Ojoge, while receiving the Permanent Secretary and her team, said that all the 119 teachers in the school had resumed work and the students had commenced the principal’s test.

She added that the students were preparing for the Inter-House Sports which would take place next week.

In Aquinas College, the Principal, Chief Jimbola Adebisi, said that the students and staff were holding maiden prayer for the term, to be followed by general cleaning of the school premises, adding that 59 out of 66 teaching staff were present.

In Oyemekun Grammar School, the Principal, Mr Adeniyi Oluyide, said that 104 out of 115 teaching staff were present, along with 2,974 out of 3,860 students.

Oluyide added that academic work had started in the school, while the principal’s test would commence on Thursday.

He said, “We had to postpone the principal’s test till Thursday and commence teaching and learning today, otherwise some of the students would not come. Meanwhile, we are also revising last term’s work.”

The principal, who disclosed that cleaning of the school’s premises had been done with a mower before resumption, said, “We have discussed with parents that as from next session students will start cleaning the compound by themselves.”

At St Louis Girls Grammar School, the Principal, Mrs. Mojadesola Adara, said that academic work had commenced in the school, adding that an assignment which was given to students before the holiday would take the place of principal’s test.

She said, “We ensure there is transparency because the handwriting in the assignment must be the same as the handwriting in the student’s notes.”

Adara stated that 15 out of 20 non-teaching staff were present, along with 90 out of 91 teaching staff, saying that a teaching staff was absent due to ill health.

While describing the turnout of students as impressive, the principal said, “We even have a student who had an accident this morning. After receiving treatment, she insisted on being brought to school by her parents to submit her assignments, after which she returned home to rest.”

At CAC Grammar School, the Principal, Mrs. Oluwapelumi Adetimehin, said that the students had commenced principal’s test, while full academic work would begin on Thursday. She said that 73 out of 76 teaching staff, together with 13 out of 14 non-teaching staff were on ground

The principal added that 1,585 out of 2,609 students were present in the school on the resumption day.

“Cleaning has also been done. But we used mower to do some clearing before the term began. We have secured our perimeter fence with barbed wire to curb encroachment. Our old students are also working assiduously to bring a lasting solution to that,” she said.