The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has disclosed that his government had in the last two years returned five public schools to missionaries, for effective management.
Fayemi, however, assured that his government would construct another five model colleges to replace those that had been returned and are now being managed by private bodies.
The governor spoke in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, on Friday, while commissioning a model school named after an elder statesman and former Chairman, Standing Committee for the creation of Ekiti State, Chief Deji Fasuan.
Fayemi disclosed that the model school, built along Ado-Afao road, was named after Chief Fasuan to promote role modelling and imbue the younger generation with patriotic spirit exhibited by the beneficiary throughout his life.
Speaking glowingly of Fasuan, the governor said, “I knew him(Fasuan) about 46 years ago. His house shared boundaries with the Christ’s School, which I attended. We all knew the role he played in the creation of Ekiti State. Those of us who had governed the state would know how he persistently troubled us just for the sake of Ekiti.
“He is one personality that will commend whatever you do well and itemise areas of inadequacies, just to ensure development.”
Fayemi added that his government is zealously committed to the transformation of education and has zero tolerance for the abandoned projects, assuring that every project started by his government and ones inherited would be completed before exiting the office.
“Education sector was in the dire strait when we came three years ago. But we have carried out reforms like the introduction of free education up to secondary school, payment of WAEC fee, abolition of education levy, payment of counterpart funding worth N7.6b from 2015 to 2021 and ensured regular running grants to schools and payment of teachers’ salaries.
“We also returned some schools to original owners based on requests. We have returned Christ school, Ado Ekiti, Annunciation Secondary School, Ikere, Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Ado Ekiti, Saint Louis Secondary School, Ikere, and Saint Augustine Secondary School, Oye Ekiti,” the governor disclosed.
On the model schools, Fayemi disclosed all the four colleges built in Ado Ekiti capital city have quality facilities, teachers, toilets, laboratories, basketball court facilities, and others that will guarantee quality education to children.
Responding, the visibly elated Fasuan who was 90 years old on Friday said, “I am sitting before you today in appreciation of siting this school in this location apart from naming it after me when I am still on this side of the divide.
“People from Afao, Are and Oke Ila in Ado Ekiti will benefit from this school. Many parents are already queuing up in my home every day to lobbying to have their children enrolled here and this showed the value they placed on this facility and I commend the government for this lofty initiative,” he added.
