From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Ekiti State Government has in a bid to rid the school environment of unscrupulous elements and add more beautiful structures, begun the demolition of dilapidated buildings in 532 primary schools across the state.
This, according to the government, would allow for beautification programme of Governor Kayode Fayemi administration and efforts to boost pupils and teachers’ performances at the primary cadre.
The government also warned about 1,000 new primary school teachers employed by Fayemi’s government to refrain from certificate and age falsifications, saying whoever is apprehended for such crime would be dismissed.
The Chairman of State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof Femi Akinwumi, spoke in Ado-Ekiti on Monday while flagging off the demolition exercise at Mount Mary Nursery/Primary School, Oke Ila, Ado-Ekiti.
Akinwumi said the exercise was specifically conceptualised by Fayemi’s government to give way for the construction of new buildings across the primary schools in the state.
The SUBEB boss added that some of the structures were built during colonial times dating back to 1920, making them outdated.
‘Under this programme, all mud and substandard blocks must go down. We have to checkmate all the miscreants that are using those dilapidated buildings in all our primary schools as hideouts because we are aware some people used these places as abode.
‘Presently, we are training about 761 new teachers, which was a follow up to over 2,700 teachers that had been trained in 2020. We are giving a conducive environment and really enhancing the capacities of our personnel.
‘As professionals, we know the importance and role a good environment plays in performances. It is a good variable in the performances of students in any examination.
‘With this demolition and construction of new buildings, pupils can move around and enjoy the aesthetic environment we are going to provide without fear of attacks by hoodlums. They will also enjoy beauty.’
The SUBEB boss commended the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) for collaborating to uplift basic education in Ekiti, particularly with the payment of N7.6 billion counterpart funding by the state government.
Addressing the new teachers undergoing induction course at Christ Girls Hall in Ado-Ekiti, Akinwumi urged the new tutors to display professionalism and be guided by principles of teaching to give the pupils deserving education.
Akinwumi said whoever betrays the civil service rules, which borders on dedication, honesty, hard work and professionalism, will be dismissed from the service.
‘You must display your responsibilities to the state. Your employments are still provisional. If we later discover that you don’t have the mental capacities, claim certificates you didn’t possess or falsify any of your documents, we will disqualify you.
‘Don’t present fake certificates to us, if you do that, you will be apprehended and face the consequences.’
