Osun State Governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, has launched the citizens’ identification card initiative and inaugurated another high school in Osun State.
The governor launched the identification initiative tagged “Kaadi Omoluabi” and inaugurated the Ilesa Government High School, which he said cost N1.3bn to build on Tuesday.
According to him, the initiative will enable the state government to better manage the state and plan for needed infrastructure.
On his part, the Osun State Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Corporative, Mr Jayeoba Alagbada, explained that the resident card initiative would enable the government to collate data about the population.
He gave the assurances that the necessary measures were in place to enable people register ahead of the December deadline.
Meanwhile, the opening of the Illesha Government High School brings to five the number of schools inaugurated by the governor in the state.
At the inauguration, Governor Aregbesola promised that the remaining six high schools would be commissioned before the end of the year, with the Fakunle-Unity School, Osogbo and Oduduwa high school, Ile-Ife, expected to be inaugurated next.
Also, the governor promised that Ila-Orangun, Iwo, Ikirun and Ikire high schools which are under construction, would be completed before the end of the year.
Overall, he told those at the event that his administration has built 25 middle schools and 20 elementary schools in the state.
“The school we are commissioning today is state-of-the-art. Many people when they see the picture, because it is so good, they argue it is computer generated graphics in 3D,” he said in a speech titled, “The Making of the Educated Person”.
“Actually, it is a 3,000 capacity three-in-one school. Each school has its principal with an overall senior principal. The school cost N1.3 billion which includes the cost of furnishing, landscape and electronic boards.”
The governor believes the construction of the schools represents the fulfilment of one of his campaign promises and indicate that students in the state can now compete globally.
He said, “I am happy and fulfilled that we have public schools that can compete with the best in the world and indeed, our new schools are the ones to beat around here.
“All these are in fulfilment of our promise to provide functional basic education. This stems from our conviction that every child is owed basic education. It is a fundamental and inalienable right of every child. We have gone to this length and committed such huge amount on education because we are preparing for the future.”
He added that each of the 11 high schools would graduate 11,000 students every year.
“In 10 years, they would have turned out 110,000 first rate students. In 50 years, that would be 550,000 world beaters, occupying strategic positions nationally and globally. This is our vision,” he said.
“As a government, we have played our own part very well and we will do more if the need should arise. It is now left for parents and teachers to do their own part. Parents should provide the right examples to their children at home. They should let them realise the importance of education and that there is no reliable future outside of it.
In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Education, Mr Kolawole Wasiu Young, noted that promotion of education system is one of the six-point integral action plan of the governor.
