By Saheed Ibrahim

|

Ondo State Government on Tuesday distributed palliative commodities to pupils in public primary schools across the state.

The gesture, which was part of the programmes lined up for the commemoration of the 2024 Children’s Day, was initiated to cushion the effect of rising costs of living in Nigeria, combat the growing menace of out-of-school children, and boost enrollment into public primary schools in the Sunshine State.

Organised in collaboration with The Renewed Hope Initiative, (Office of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria), the flag-off of the distribution was held at St. James’ CAC Mega Primary School, Irowo, Akure.

Items distributed to the pupils in the 18 local government area of Ondo State included food items and writing materials.

Speaking, the Chairman of Ondo State Basic Education Board, ODSUBEB, Victor Olabimtan, said the programme would encourage pupils to enrol in schools and tame the growing out-of-school children rate.

He said the Federal government was also giving food palliatives, through the school feeding programme, to pupils to encourage them to be in school, commending the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu for graciously supporting the uplifting of education through her initiative.

According to him, Senator Oluremi believed that the Nigerian child should be properly educated and through her initiative, she decided to supply writing materials for children in the basic schools through the Ondo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.

He said the materials will be handed to the education secretaries from the 18 local government areas to further distribute to pupils in their domains.

Olabimtan said the commodities distributed were enough for the pupils across the public primary schools in the state.

The former Ondo House of Assembly Speaker commended Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for approving the recruitment of teachers into public schools in the states, with a focus on the rural areas in the state.

“99% of those teachers to be recruited are going to the rural areas. The recruitment process is different. The teachers will be deployed to schools that lack adequate teachers,” he stressed.

He said the teachers must be ready to live and work in the areas they are deployed to, stating that primary education is local and teachers must be able to live in the communities they work.

He stressed that the menace of teachers living in the urban area while working in the rural areas is strongly discouraged as those to be recruited must love and work in the deployed areas.

The ODSUBEB Chairman said children are the future of the state and they must be well taken care of, staying that the palliatives would lift education in the Sunshine State.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Deaconess Omotola Juliana Fagbemi described the pupils and children in the state as the hope and strength, expressing gratitude to Governor Aiyedatiwa for the 2024 Children’s Day celebration, the distribution of palliatives and education advancement of the state.

Fagbemi equally thanked Senator Oluremi Tinubu for graciously providing 50,000 copies of notebooks to Ondo State pupils, especially for the vulnerable ones in different rural communities.

She implored education instructors in the schools to ensure the pupils use the writing materials as they should.

Flagging off the distribution, the Commissioner for Education Science and Technology, Victor Akindolie, represented Prince Obajulaye Oluwadayiro, said the programme was one of the ways to promote education among Ondo children.

Ondo State Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Comrade Victor Amoko appreciated Governor Aiyedatiwa for approving recruitment of teachers into schools and for supporting their education with the palliatives.