By Correspondent in Lokoja
The road toward enhanced educational system in kogi state became a reality on Tuesday with the unveiling of the State Education Law 2020 to guide the operations of schools and activities of other relevant education stakeholders in the state.
The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Wemi Jones,who inaugurated the law at the ‘Stakeholders’ Meeting On Education Law And Other Matter”in Lokoja, said, “we are now fully ready to commence full implementation of the law because we have carried everybody along,” he said.
He thanked the stakeholders for the roles they played in ensuring that the law came into reality, noting that the education stakeholders’ meeting was in continuation of the various levels of stakeholders engagement the ministry had planned to do.
He said that the education the governor of the state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, had given the Ministry full backing for the full implementation of every section of the law.
On insecurity,the Commissioner stressed the need for stakeholders to take schools’ security very seriously,to ensure adequate security of life and property in schools.
”We must not take the issue of security for granted. We must redouble our effort, synergise and ensure adequate security in our schools,”he added.
Jones assured that the State Government was fully ready to severely sanction any erring school, individual or their accomplices involved in examination malpractice with specific reference to Principals, saying that any erring principal would be severely sanctioned.
”It is the responsibility of principals to ensure that no examination malpractice is perpetrated in their schools. We are going to pay special attention to ‘Miracle Centres’,”he stessed.
Jones disclosed that the ministry had carried out data capturing of private schools operating in the state, adding that public schools’ data capturing would soon commence.
He advised private schools that were yet to come to the ministry for data capturing to do so in earnest to avoid sanction in accordancr to the relevant sections of the education law 2020.
”For those private schools’ owners who are yet to come for data capturing, we are going to open another window next week, about three to four days, for them to come and register.
”’If they fail to do the needful within the four days, I am afraid we may be left with no option than to sanction them,depending on the relevant sections of the law which may include closure of certain schools,” he added.
Earlier in his address of welcome,the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Pastor Emmanuel Idenyi, promised that the synergy between the Ministry and the stakeholders would be sustained, to ensure that major decisions taken by the Ministry received the blessing of all.
Our Correspondent reports that stakeholders at the meeting include: Heads of all Public and Private Tertiary Institutions in the state, SUBEB, STETSCOM, ANCOPSS, NAPPS, NTI, NYSC, TRCN, WAEC, NECO, JAMB, Religious bodies, TUC, ASUSS, among others.
Some of the stakeholders in their separate comments, commended the Governor for his political will in accenting to the Kogi State Education Law 2020, since the state’s creation on August 27,1991.
They further commended the Commissioner for his efforts and commitment in ensuring the realization of the law, and urged him to ensure its full implementation without fear or favour.
Mr Awodi Robert Yusufu, the State President of All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPPS), Kogi chapter, expressed optimism that the law would put education in the state on its pedestal and help in policy making, curb examination practice, among others.
On their parts, Comrade Ojo Ranti, the State Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS); and Dr Solomon Nuhu Anyegwu, the Provost, College of Health, Sciences and Technology, Idah, both called for the perimeter fencing of schools to ensure security.
He called on the State Government to recruit more teachers, end percentage payment of salaries to Local Government workers and implement the minimum wage in the state.
The Rector Kogi State Polytechnic, Dr Usman Ogbo, commended the Governor for giving the various higher institutions in the state the necessary support to curb cultism and other social vices.
Ogbo explained that the management of Kogi Poly had put necessary things in place to curb cultism, examination malpractice, and other misconducts.
He said this was done through adequate synergy with security agencies and other relevant stakeholders resulting in expulsion of over 150 students of the Polytechnic for various misconducts, adding the expulsion was done without religious and other divisive expressions.
Highlight at the occasion was the unveiling and launching of the Kogi State Education Law 2020, anchored by Dr Gabriel Ottah, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Science and Technology.
