Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Friday inaugurated a new 182-bed female dormitory and 12-classroom block in the state Model College, Igbokuta, Ikorodu.
The school infrastructure projects inaugurated also include reading rooms and a laundromat.
Sanwo-Olu said during the inauguration that the projects reflected his administration’s continued dedication to quality and equitable education.
The governor advised the staff and students of the college to take ownership of the projects, ensure they were not damaged and judiciously utilise them.
He said that the state government was committed to providing conducive learning and teaching environment for students to assimilate better.
He quoted forrmer President of South Africa, Late Nelson Mandela as saying: ”Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.
”This is our belief in Lagos state, and explains our substantial investments in the education sector. We will continue to build, rehabilitate and equip our schools as necessary.
”In the current year, we allocated N122 billion to education, which is the second largest after infrastructure.
”Next year, the allocation to education has been raised by 22 per cent, estimated to be about N171 billion.
”We delivered over 1,097 projects in 970 schools across Lagos, while ensuring prompt construction, rehabilitation of 322 dilapidated public schools and provision of 87,000 dual composite units of furniture,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The governor noted that the state government was building world-class schools and equipping the students with the requisite knowledge and skills to compete globally.
According to him, the investment and interventions in schools has been yielding positive results.
”We measure the success of our educational policies and programmes by improved students’ performance in examination, national and international competitions, improved morals, etiquette and confidence in public speaking.
”The 95 per cent performance recorded in the last West African Senior School Certificate Examination results by this model college is impressive and we are beginning to see the outcome of the investment we are committing to education.
”Our government is committed not only to the students’ educational progress, but to the fulfilment of teachers,” the governor said.
The Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, said that the new projects would increase enrolment of students in the catchment area and help develop pupils’ potential.
Adefisayo said that Sanwo-Olu’s infrastructure drive in schools was to ensure all students across state-owned schools received same quality of education in a conducive environment.
”All members of the education family are happy to see that Mr governor’s promises are being kept in less than three years,” she said. (NAN)