Ogunlewe Laments Lack Of Computer Education In Primary Schools, Enrollment Of Ikorodu Pupils Into Model Colleges

Kunle Adelabu

Sen. Adeseye Ogunlewe, former Minister for Works and Chairman, IDRDG/Ikorodu Town Hall Management Board

A former Minister for Works and Chairman, Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group (IDRDG), Sen. (Otunba) Dr. Adeseye Kingsley Ogunlewe, has expressed his concern over the lack of computer education in primary schools and the percentage of Ikorodu sons and daughters been admitted into unity and model colleges.

Ogunlewe also raised alarm over the number of students being admitted into various higher institutions annually from Ikorodu, out of the number that sits for JAMB every year.

The IDRDG Chairman,, who also doubles as the Chairman, Ikorodu Ultra – Model Town Hall Management Board (ITHMB), spoke at the inauguration of the Ikorodu – Oga Development Association (IKODASS) executive council for the 2023/2025 session at the Arch. Olutusen Onafowokan main auditorium of the Ikorodu Ultra – Modern Town Hall, Ikorodu, on Sunday, April 31, 2023.

“Ikorodu has 61 primary schools and 33 secondary schools and annually, 10, 000 students usually sit for JAMB. The total number of students gaining admission into all our tertiary institutions is less than 15, 000 in the whole of the state. What percentage do you think that Ikorodu will get out of the 15, 000?”, Sen Ogunlewe asked rhetorically.

“It means that annually, we have about 8000 out of school children in Ikorodu every year. No institution to attend and by that, we are building up a volatile situation for the future of Lagos State and Ikorodu. If we don’t educate these children, they will be the ones to destroy whatever that we are building today.

“A dog is better than an untrained child, because you can tame a dog, but not an uneducated child. That is the dilemma in Ikorodu today.

“Unfortunately for us, we are losing out in the field of education. We have four Unity (and model colleges) Schools in Ikorodu : Igbokuta Model College, Oriwu College, Government College and Lagos State Girls Model College, Agunfoye.

“Before any pupil in our primary schools could get admission into all these model colleges, they must sit for an examination which is computer – based and these primary schools have no computer. How do we think that they can ever pass? It means that strangers and non – indigenes are the ones gaining admissions into our model college.

“It is in the model colleges that we have best teachers, facilities, laboratories, but less than 50% of students in those colleges are Ikorodu indigenes because we do not prepare our children for the schools”.

He charged the IKODASS executives, led by Mr Erogbogbo, to partner with IDRDG and the Ikorodu Town Hall in changing the situation and making it favourable to pupils from Ikorodu.

The former Senator, who represented the Lagos East Senatorial District between 1999 to 2003, explained efforts that have so far been made by the IDRDG/ITHMB, on changing and improving the situation, stating that the Alogba Library which is been managed by the body, has not only been made an ICT centre, but also upgraded to an e – library.

“It means that we are shortchanging our children. Why I am laying emphasis on this is to seek for the cooperation of IKODASS. I am the Chairman of the Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group (IDRDG) and the Ikorodu Town Hall Management Board (ITHMB). Inside the town hall, we have the Alogba Library which we upgraded to an ICT centre and we are encouraging our children to make use of the library and be trained on the ICT, so that they can successfully participate in JAMB and Common Entrance examinations”, Sen. Ogunlewe appealed.

“We have a lot of work to do together with IKODASS, particularly in the field of education. The IDRDG and IKODASS will sit down to work together. Why we must work together is that this hall belongs to Ikorodu community and people pay to use the town hall. It is from that money that we must use to train our children free.

“We must not allow them to go astray because if we allow them to go untrained, our children will not be able to reside peacefully in this town. Together, we must train them and harness our resources together.

“Fortunately for us, Otunba Eniayewun has turned the library into an e – facility. In that facility, we have thousands of books, magazines and other educational and research materials for our youths to access, so, we don’t need books (hard copies) again.

“We will be increasing our computers to about 50. I want to plead with you that you should let us start now by exposing our children to computers, even if it’s just for an hour per day. They must be trained. Any student that does not have a computer knowledge cannot pass any examination”, he further pleaded.

“We must sit down together and plan for these children because some people planned for us – The Ogunsanyas, Allisons, Bensons, Alokolaros and others. They planned for us to be where we are today, what are we planning for the younger generations coming after us. We have a lot to do together. Don’t let us abandon these children. They are from poor homes.

“When we started the computer training for JAMB, many of these children loved and appreciated it because many of them don’t have the facility at home and around them.

“These properties (town hall) belong to all of us, and not anybody in particular, but for the children, both those from the privileged and poor backgrounds. They must all have access to the facilities and benefit from the proceed”, he charged.

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