Kwara: Putting Children’s Education On Front Burner

The presence of the secretary to the Government of Kwara State, Alh Mahe AbdulKadir at the  closing ceremony of a summer school organised for the youths of Ibagun in Ilorin East local government area underscored the importance the state government attaches to children’s education.

AbdulKadir was fortnight ago  appointed as SSG,  but the first public function he attended after his swearing- in was the summer school’s closing ceremony.

Not only that AbdulKadir, who was the special guest of honour at the event attended physically, he was the first to arrive the venue amongst the invited special guests. His timely arrival caught the organisers of the event off guard and they had to quickly put things in order and immediately commenced the ceremony.

The presence of AbdulKadir was complimented by the presence of equally education loving personalities, including the representative of the Emir of Ilorin, Prince Modibbo, the former special advisers on Strategy, Political Communications, Alh Saadu Salahu and Alh Bashir Adigun respectfully; Prof AbdulRaheem Yusuf, Dr Mohammed Ghali Alaaya, deputy registrar, Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Alh Jimoh Yusuf, senior special adviser on Religion (Islam), Alh Ibrahim Danmaigoro, and two members of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Yinusa Oniboki and Hajia Arinola Lawal, and Ilorin East local government education secretary, Alh Raufu Asude.

In a short speech, Hon. Yinusa Oniboki, praised the foresight of the organiser of the summer school, Alh Tajudeen Ibrahim Olesin, acknowledging his unquantifiable contribution to the educational development of not only the children, but the state as a whole.

He thanked the organiser for engaging the youths productivity through the summer school during the long vacation.

The chief host at the event, Alh Saadu Salahu, also hailed the organiser of the event for complimenting the state government’s efforts towards repositioning the state education sector so as to ensure a brighter future for Kwara’s youths.

He acknowledged the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s passion for youth and women emancipation, culminating in the appointment of youths and women into strategic public offices at both the state and federal levels.

The deputy registrar of the Federal Polytechnic,Offa, Alh Jimoh Yusuf, took time to enlighten the students on subject combinations for various courses in the tertiary institutions.

In his remarks, Alh Mahe AbdulKadir, expressed delight that Governor AbdulRazaq has resuscitated the once moribund education sector in the state.

He noted that public schools in the state are now well equipped with furniture and teaching aids, while teachers’ welfare is accorded topmost priority by the governor.

He praised the organiser of the summer school for his commitment to the advancement of youth education and  his consistent support for human capital and community development.

AbdulKadir who represented   Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq at the event said: “I will like to thank the founder and financial of Tajudeen Olesin Foundation for his consistency in organising this educational activity.

“Your consistency and commitment becomes even more evident when one considers the fact that this educational activity is merely one out of several community initiatives you are involved in through your foundation. I really commend your efforts”.

He  pointed out that AbdulRazaq’s administration is making the right investments in education in the realization that the state would only have a future if the children have a future.

“As you must well know, these children are a core priority for us in Kwara state. We are making the right investments in them both academically and having a conducive learning environment because we believe our state will have a future only when they have a future. This is why we introduced Kwaralearn initiative,” he said.

In a brief lecture, Sheikh Shoibul Bayan, stressed the need for parents to give their children sound moral and western education.

He prayed to God to grant the organiser of the event more enablement to enable him do more in the promotion of children’s education.

The cleric called for more attention to the welfare of teachers from the government and members of the public.

He charged the youths to attach seriousness to their education to enable them have a fulfilling future, adding that knowledge remains the best ensuring legacy and property.

Earlier, Mal Tajudeen Olesin, had  said  that his foundation’s impact extended far beyond education as it also served as a catalyst for driving positive change within Kwara communities.

The foundation, he said, had taken the initiative to support projects geared towards enhancing infrastructure and promoting environmental sustainability.

“Eight years ago, The Olesin Foundation embarked on this mission driven by a deep passion for education and a dedicated commitment to creating positive change in our community.

“However, the road to progress is not always linear, and we must acknowledge the unforeseen challenges that disrupted our journey. The global COVID-19 pandemic forced us to skip some years, compelling us to adapt and find innovative ways to continue our mission amid adversity.

“In our unwavering commitment to educational equality, the Tajudeen Olesin Foundation launched the initiative to provide free writing materials to our students.

“We recognized that many of our participants hailed from financially challenged backgrounds, and we firmly believe that education should be within the reach of every child. By alleviating the burden of purchasing costly writing materials, we aim to encourage more students from disadvantaged backgrounds to partake in our programme, fostering not only learning but also confidence and self-esteem,” he said.

Olesin extended his appreciation to the dedicated teachers and coordinators, recognizing that their tireless efforts have brought the vision of providing quality education to young minds much to life.

He said that the foundation has made significant contributions to education by granting scholarships to three students in every class, covering the WAEC and NECO fees for exceptional students, and providing support to neighbouring summer coaching programmes.

“We have invested in the development of GDSS Amule, our venue, by renovating classrooms and providing essential equipment such as computers and printers. In the 4th edition, we increased the number of scholarship recipients to seven best-performing students in each class.

“Our Foundation’s reach extends beyond education. We have taken on challenges in our community, including addressing the issue of erratic power supply. We have invested in infrastructure by grading a 5km dilapidated road and have supported local businesses. Additionally, we have contributed to the welfare of the community by painting mosques and empowering individuals through financial assistance.

“We envision the establishment of a Free Computer-Based Training (CBT) Centre for students preparing for the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination. We discovered that our students are good academically but many have deficiencies in computer operation that always hinder their performances during JAMB examination and we are going to tackle it via this way,” he added