By Gabriel Dike, Lagos
The Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, and the management team in charge of education in the state on Tuesday visited some schools to access their preparedness for the 2020/2021 2nd term academic session.
Among the schools visited include Babs Fafunwa Millennium Senior Secondary School, Ojodu, Ikeja, Babs Fafunwa Senior Grammar School, Ojodu, Ikeja and Ojodu Junior High School, Ikeja, where two students were crushed to death by a truck in December 2021 while about 22 others sustained serious injuries.
The education commissioner also visited another school, Omole Junior Grammar School, Ikeja, whose four students were affected in the December 2021 accident.
Adefisayo urged the students to remain focused on their studies and put behind them the December 2021 incident, which she described as a difficult period and commended the principals of the schools for their efforts during the incident.
At Babs Fafunwa Millennium Senior Secondary School, Ojodu, Ikeja, Babs Fafunwa Senior Grammar School, Ojodu, Ikeja and Ojodu Junior High School, Ikeja, the education commissioner urged the gathering to observe a minute silence in honour of the dead students.
‘We should not forget our compatriot who died during the unfortunate accident in December 2021. I know it is painful to have lost two colleagues. I urge you to forge ahead with your studies and do your parents, school and the state proud.’
She urged the students to remain focused and work hard on how to achieve success in life, adding ‘’I look forward to seeing you at the top level. Do well in your examinations, that is the only way you can honour your parents and dead colleagues,’ she said.
Adefisayo confirmed that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu picked the medical bills of the injured students and disclosed that 20 students have been discharged while two are still in the hospital.
The education commissioner informed the students that Governor Sanwo-Olu will continue to accord education top priority and urged them to avoid social vices.
Adefisayo acknowledged the contributions of teachers in the state and urged them to continue to put in their best in bringing out outstanding performance from their student’s public exams.
The Tutor General/Permanent Secretary, Education District 6, Mrs Okelola Oludara, welcomed the students back to the 2nd term of the 2020/2021 academic session and urged them to put the December 2021 incident behind and focus on their forthcoming examination.
Oludara charged the students to stay clear of things that would put them in trouble or truncate their education and reminded the students that they are accountable to themselves in whatever they do.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mr Abayomi Abolaji, said the state education managers led by the commissioner for education visited schools whose students were affected in the December 2021 incident to assure the students and teachers of their safety and wellbeing.
Abolaji disclosed that Governor Sanwo-Olu, is committed to funding education and that it is evident in the huge allocation to the sector in the 2022 budget. He assured stakeholders of better performance of students in the May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), stressing ‘last year we moved from 43 per cent to 78 per cent and hopefully we expect a better result in 2022.’
The Executive Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mr Wahab Alawiye-King, advised the students to avoid anti-social behaviour and concentrate on their books.
He urged the returning students to put behind them the incident of December 2021 and focus on their education. He assured them that measures have been put in place to ensure their safety in schools.