By Emmanuel Taiwo, ilorin
Kwara state government says it is establishing an education trust fund to mobilise resources for school infrastructure, provide affordable and qualitative education and boost human capital development in the state, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has said.
Speaking on Wednesday at the inauguration of a multimillion naira information communication technology (ICT) centre and manpower development,AbdulRazaq sought sustainable partnership with private sector, philanthropists and corporations to fund school infrastructure.
The governor expressed optimism that the educational trust would build a brighter future for the Kwara child.
The Reporters gathered that a central administrative block and others were donated to the Ansaru-ud-Deen College Ijagbo by Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN),
“Our administration recognises the limitations of government to shoulder the burden of infrastructural development in all local government areas of the state.
” That is why we have sent Kwara State Education Trust Fund Bill to the House of Assembly. When passed by the Assembly and sign into law, it will ensure contributions into schools.
“The law will empower the state government to partner with philanthropists, foundations and corporate bodies to raise money and help support strengthening educational infrastructure in the state,”he said.
The Governor commended Fagbemi for the well-equipped edifice, saying that the gesture represents a major boost for human capital development in Kwara State.
“This is a huge development. What else can you give to your community better than solid education? We are very grateful for this. You are not just the pride of the community, you’re an ambassador of the state. We appreciate your efforts.
“With this, you are laying a good foundation for our children. This is a major boost to our administration’s efforts to develop basic education. We appreciate it. We have also started our school projects because since 2013,there was no major investment in basic education.We are perplexed about how the former administration neglected education.
“The state was blacklisted by UBEC. So, if every community goes into this kind of (self-help) project, the sky is the limit for Kwara. We are definitely scaling up to take back our position in the north.”
AbdulRazaq urged other well-meaning individuals in the state to emulate Lateef Fagbemi SAN and improve infrastructure in their communities for socio-economic development.
Fagbemi said the projects were conceived as part of his social responsibility and a payback to the College, adding that the government alone cannot satisfy every demand for basic amenities from different communities.
The TIC Chairman of Oyun local government Dr. Waheed Ibrahim said the massive project fell in line with the people-oriented goals and policies of Governor AbdulRazaq, whose leadership he said had benefitted Ijagbo in many ways.
Ibrahim said some of the projects of the administration in Oyun local governmentinclude: construction of town hall road, Alwali Kazir Road and station road in Erin-Ile. Others he added, renovation of schools in Ikotun and Ojoku; renovation of health centres in different towns of the council; ongoing SUBEB projects at nine different locations in the council; different social intervention programmes; recruitment of new teachers among others.
