Kunle Adelabu
The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Jamiu Alli-Balogun, has commended the leadership of the Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group (IDRDG), and pledged the ministry’s support for the Group’s educational and technological initiatives in Ikorodu.
Alli – Balogun, who in the company of his counterpart in the Ministry for Tertiary Education, Mr Tolani Sule Akibu, received the IDRDG and the Ikorodu Division Human Resources Development Board (IDHRDB), last week at their office in Alausa, gave the pledge during the returned the visit to the Group, on Wednesday.
During the visit, Prince Adesegun Ogunlewe, former Head of Service, Lagos State, Prince Rotimi Ogunleye, former Honourable Commissioner for Physical Planning & Urban Development, Lagos State and Dr. Abioun Okedeyi, an associate Professor with the Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), conducted the Commissioner and his team round the Hall of Fame, SAB Oteju ICT & Innovation Hub and the Musediq Alogba E – Library & Research Centre, all located within the Ikorodu Town Hall, Ikorodu.
The Commissioner, who described the facilities as paths to future development of Ikorodu division’s youths and education, also stated that the facilities must be sustained.
“I really thank the chairman and former Heads of Service in Lagos State, that are retired but not tired. Also, the entire members of the Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group”, he said.
“The last time that you came, we discussed and I so much believe in you because, what you have done and still doing key into the state’s policies, most especially on education and technology which is the new roadway to development. That would give us the leverage to compete favourably with others in the global world.
“It is about commitment, trust, loyalty and about building the future for our children. I really thank you very much and really appreciate you and in whatever form the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education can collaborate and also give advice, we will always be there for Ikorodu Division”, he assured.
While stating that the passion and commitment of the elder statesmen are inspiring, Honourable Commissioner also stated that the vision must be sustained.
“Whenever I see our fathers with this passion, it means a lot. It means that they are ready to give back which they have been doing for over three decades and also inspire me to question myself on how do we continue because we cannot allow it to die”, he said.
“It is a dream that we must sustain, nourish and develop so that at the end of the day, we all will be happy for it”.
Sen. Adeseye Ogunlewe, Chairman, IDRDG, welcoming the Commissioner and his team, thanked them for the visit to inspect the facilities at the Ikorodu Town Hall.
He said that the concern of the Group is about exposing students in Ikorodu to computer operations, especially as JAMB is CBT based and there is plan by WAEC to do same too. This, he said, led to the establishment of the ICT/CBT hub.
“Because we want our children to have access to computer education, we created time to train from Monday to Friday, while the JAMB candidates are doing their own training at the weekend. These we are doing free”, he added.
Ogunlewe, who is a former Minister for Works, commended the Senator representing the Lagos East, Sen. Tokunbo Abiru, the representative of the Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Rep. Babajimi Benson, and members of the IDRDG and IDHRDB, for their generous donations towards the hub.
“We have 230 laptops in the ICT/CBT hub and 52 desktops in the Alogba E – Library, which are being used for training purposes”.
Senator Ogunlewe appealed to the Commissioner to assist with policies that would take out of school children away from the street and give them education, especially in Ikorodu Division and students who are unable to gain admission due to lack of admission space.
The IDRDG Chairman also solicited support and cooperation of the ministry for the sustenance of the facilities.
Another former Head of Service, who is the Chairman, IDRHDB, Bashorun Babatunde Rotinwa, said that the Board was created to develop human and material resources in Ikorodu, while he equally solicited for the Commissioner’s cooperation.
“The Human Resources Board was created to salvage the educational situation by assisting the state agencies in monitoring the educational facilities”, he said.
“Aside this, we train teachers in the areas of needs, especially in English and Mathematics and the new innovation that has just been introduced – new technology. We believe that it would aid the IT knowledge of our children in primary and secondary schools.
“We are requesting for more collaboration from you the sustain these initiatives”, he solicited.
Barr. Rotimi Ogunleye, Chairman, Committee on the Musediq Alogba E – Library & Research Centre, an arm of the IDRDG, speaking, said that the current Committee with two Permanent Secretaries – Mr Waheed Kasali of the Ministry of Tertiary Education and Dr Benjamen Eniayewun of the Lagos State Health Service Commission, constituted last year, transformed the library from the analogue state to an e – facility and also initiated the ICT hub.
“It is from there that the race began which led to the establishment of the ICT/CBT Hub on which we have been interfacing with JAMB. We already have in place the cubicle in line with JAMB specifications that can accommodate 230 students for CBT examinations”, he said.
“Good enough that your ministry is coming around to see this and not that you just seeing it in the newspaper or being told about it.
“What we require now is a partnership with your ministry, because we are in the same boat trying to get our youths into the ICT race. This is the time to catch them young in basic computer lessons and teach them what they would need to be able to compete in the global world.
“The THESE Plus agenda of this present government is in sync with what we are doing here, and that is why your coming is very germane and we are glad that you left the confine of your office to come and see what we have been doing here”, Prince Ogunleye said.
Mrs Olatokunbo Obafemi – Adegboila, a member of the Musediq Alogba e – Library & Research Committee, speaking, asked the Commissioner to assist in providing secondary school for the Eruwen community to prevent students walking 6 kilometres away from the community to attend school.
She stated that a parcel of land has been donated for the purpose through the CDA for years, but nothing has happened.
Former Special Adviser (Taxation) to former Governor Adewunmi Ambode, Alhaji Fatai Lasisi, in his own remarks, appealed for the partnership of the ministry in seeing the Prof. Adegbola Science Centre (located within the Lagos State University of Science & Technology (LASUSTECH) come into fruition.
“This project is a signature project and we have been on it for quite sometime now. We have a parcel of land at the Lagos State University of Science & Technology (LASUSTECH), measuring about 8 hectares”, he said.
“The idea behind the project is not only to immortalize our first chairman, Prof. Anthony Afolabi Adegbola, but to also help our people, especially those in the industrial sector, to cope with the rapidly and the ever – changing environment.
“It is also to empower our people by improving their skill sets. We have done the perimeter fencing and sunk a borehole, but we are handicapped going further.
“We want your ministry to collaborate with us at least to start the resource centre which is among many other projects within the centre. The 3D will be made available to you. The project is begging for attention”, he appealed.
