The First Lady of Ekiti State, Dr.(Mrs) Olayemi Oyebanji has urged DMGS Ijero and six other schools who recently benefited from the Ekiti State Government’s huge investments made in improving the quality of their education through financial support and renovation of existing facilities in their schools to make adequate use of the opportunity.
During her address at the official flag-off ceremony held at Lady Jibowu Hall, Government House in Ado Ekiti recently, the First Lady urged students to take advantage of the substantial investment made by the state government by working hard towards achieving academic success while distributing funds for the second phase of renovating public secondary schools in the state.
She highlighted that this initiative was one among many strategies implemented by the State Government aimed at keeping school-age children in educational institutions and ensuring that no child is left out.
Under a scheme supported by AGILE, a World Bank-assisted Adolescent Girls’ Initiative for Learning and Empowerment programme, approximately N30 million was disbursed to 2,808 indigent students. Senior secondary school beneficiaries received N25,000 while junior secondary school beneficiaries were given N20,000.
Furthermore, seven public secondary schools received cheques totalling N641 million for renovating administrative blocks, laboratory facilities, hostels, classrooms libraries and sports facilities to enhance student comfort as well as facilitate effective teaching and learning environments.
The benefitting schools are Doherty Memorial Grammar School Ijero Ekiti; Ayede Grammar School Ayede-Ekiti; Egbeoba High School Ikole-Ekiti; Eyemote Comprehensive High School Iyin-Ekiti; Ilejemeje Community High School Iye-Ekiti; Ise Comprehensive High School Ise Ekiti and Ileowuro High School Agbado Ekiti.
Dr. Oyebanji congratulated eligible students who have met the criteria for financial support during their academic session while encouraging them to strive for excellence with resilience and skill development which she noted as crucial aspects of education.
The accounts of 2,808 beneficiaries were credited with ATM cards provided for accessing support funds distributed in three tranches contingent on continued enrollment at their respective educational institutions.
The First Lady affirmed that this gesture underscores her administration’s unwavering commitment towards providing access to quality education for all school-age children within primary and secondary levels across the state – strengthening its free compulsory education program.
She mentioned ongoing efforts such as regular payment of teachers’ salaries alongside renovation initiatives targeting aged infrastructure within educational institutions among others, including ICT provision & teacher capacity building programs.
Moreover, the State Government provides additional care through boarding facilities enabling vulnerable students to access quality education without hindrance from hostile environments or factors impeding learning progress.
A noteworthy achievement highlighted was last year’s disbursement totalling N916 million allocated across ten local government areas aiding renovation projects highlighting significant progress made since then Representatives from various sectors offered goodwill messages applauding these initiatives at both local and international levels aiming at significantly reducing out-of-school children data within Nigeria’s educational landscape.
