By Kehinde Oluwatayo
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Stakeholders in the education sector in Ondo State have commended the state Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for approving the payment of WASSCE fees of students in public secondary schools in the state.
The stakeholders who also lauded the recruitment of 1000 teachers into the primary sector of the state, said the step would raise the standard of education in the state.
Chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers, Ondo state chapter, Comrade Victor Amoko during an interview with The Hope commended the Akeredolu stating that the gesture would raise the standard of education in the state.
Amoko who said that teachers have not been recruited into the primary sector in the last 13 years noted that they have decreased in number through retirement, death while some left the job for other things.
“On behalf of the parents, teachers, students and the citizens of the state generally I say thank you to the Governor. Despite paucity of fund, he did these two things, it shows his love for education”, he expressed.
He therefore called on the newly recruited teachers to reciprocate the gesture through dedication to work. He also urged the students to read hard so that they can pass the exam adding that it would encourage the governor to do more.
Also speaking with The Hope, Chairman, Parents, Teachers Association PTA, Alhaji Abimbola Omoloja commended the governor, describing the steps as the beginning of a new era in the state.
According to him, there had been promises of recruitment of the teachers before now without fulfillment, making the step a giant stride.
He said that the payment of WASSCE will bring relief to the parents adding that there are some students who would not have been able to pay and could even be the brilliant ones.
He however called for recruitment of more teachers to fill the remaining vacancies adding that a lot of teachers have retired.
Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, Comrade Tajudeen Balogun appreciated the governor for the gesture adding that the employment of teachers was long overdue.
Balogun who said that secondary schools also need teachers called on the governor to fulfill his promise to look critically at the secondary schools in his second term in office.
He advised the students whose exam fees were paid to be studious in order to pass the exam.
On his own, Olowa of Igbara-Oke kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba Dr. Francis Adefarakanmi Agbede applauded the gesture of the governor, over the payment of the exam fees.
Oba Agbede in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Ayodeji Owolabi, said the Governor has again shown his commitments towards alleviating the financial challenges as a result of COVID-19 Pandemic that has hit hard on most parents.
The monarch said he was not surprised at this gesture, because the Governor is “Mr. Talk and Do”. According to him, this is the fulfillment of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s promise to take the burden of WASSCE fee off the parents.
They therefore urged the residents of the state to continue to give support to Akeredolu led administration as he is working everyday to put smiles on the faces of the residents through his Redeemed Agenda programme.
