Why our administration puts premium on education— Makinde
..As 69 bags first class at Abiola Ajimobi Tech-U
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Friday, reiterated that his administration puts premium on education – at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels in the pursuit of its Roadmap for Accelerated Development of Oyo State, stating that education is made the focus, alongside health, expansion of the economy and security.
The Governor, who disclosed this while speaking at the Abiola Ajimobi Technical University held at the University campus along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Ibadan, noted that his investments in the sector have yielded gains that all stakeholders have applauded.
According to Governor Makinde, who was represented by his deputy, Barr. Abdul-Raheem Adebayo Lawal, the expansion of access to higher education, particularly university education, which the establishment of several Universities in the State will address is a deliberate policy of government to respond to the growing demand by our teeming youths.
He said: “From 2019 when this administration was inaugurated, there has been a significant improvement in the ranking of the State in the Joint Admission and matriculation Board (JAMB”).
“From 2019 to date, Oyo State ranked was number I going by the number of indigenes seeking admission through JAMB. Similarly, the number of applicants who wrote the JAMB examination in yo State increased and pushed the State from 6th position in 2018, 3rd position in 2019 and 2020, and second position (after Lagos) in 2021 and 2022.
“These are not happenstance statistics but an attestation to the efforts this administration invested not only in tertiary but equally in secondary education which then culminated in the enrolment.
The progress that Tech-U is making is thus a symbol of the overall development the entire education sector is experiencing in Oyo State.
“As a mark of my personal interest in and commitment to see this University firmly established, I approved the continuation of the Local Government-sponsored scholarship scheme for our teeming youths.
“And as the Vice Chancellor, Professor Adesola Ajayi, acknowledged, this has made it possible for several indigent students from the state who could not ordinarily afford it to to have the qualitative and technically-oriented education that Tech-U offers. It is a scholarship that does not discriminate against anyone, as it rather gives our youths from all Local Governments Areas equal opportunity to realize their dreams.”
The Governor stated that his commitment to education has culminated in the expansion of the state’s institutions with Oyo State now has three state-owned conventional university – the Ladoke Akintola University (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso – as well as two specialised universities: the Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo; and the Abiola Ajimobi Technical University, Ibadan.
He added that LAUTECH which also has a new campus, which is the College of Agriculture and Renewable Natural is a laudable investment which stakeholders have applauded.
Governor Makinde noted that the development are not happenstance statistics but an attestation to the efforts his administration have invested not only in tertiary but equally in secondary education which then culminated in the enrolment.
He stated further: “The progress that Tech-U is making is thus a symbol of the overall development the entire education sector is experiencing in Oyo State.
“As a mark of my personal interest in and commitment to see this University firmly established, I approved the continuation of the Local Government-sponsored scholarship scheme for our teeming youths.
“And as the Vice Chancellor, Professor Adesola Ajayi, acknowledged, this has made it possible for several indigent students from the state who could not ordinarily afford it to to have the qualitative and technically-oriented education that Tech-U offers. It is a scholarship that does not discriminate against anyone, as it rather gives our youths from all Local Governments Areas equal opportunity to realize their dreams.
“With our Government’s second tenure mid-way, we now have an opportunity for renewed commitment to strengthening our educational heritage as the pace setters. We will improve on funding. We will invest more in infrastructure, just as the welfare of all staff will always be our priority. The costs of these are huge, to the extent that government alone cannot do all. I thus enjoin corporate organizations and well-meaning individuals to rise and support us.
“In this vein, I wish to acknowledge the Akogun of Yorubaland and the Chairman of AMNI Petroleum, Chief Tunde Afolabi MFR, who is also the Chancellor of the Fist technical University, for his continued support for this institution through the Josephus Foundation Scholarship by which the cost of education in this institution is partly defrayed for selected beneficiaries.
“One week ago, I inaugurated the Governing Council thereby setting the pace for accelerated development of the institution. We have also by this inauguration demonstrated our unwavering commitment to the growth of this institution.”
The Governor urged the graduands to be good ambassadors of the university, Oyo State and Nigeria in general as well as make the best use of the sound education they have received.
He equally admonished them to explore opportunities for green collar jobs and enjoined them to seize every opportunity to power their own ideas and create businesses no matter how small in the beginning.
Earlier in his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the First Technical University, Professor Adesola Ajayi, commended Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, for the infrastructure development efforts, creating a conducive environment for the university.
He noted that no fewer than 69 bagged First Class honour out of 310 students from the Abiola Ajimobi Technical University, (AATU), Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ibadan.
Aside the bachelor degrees for the various programmes across the two faculties of the institution, all the graduating students will also be collecting two additional certificates including Diploma in French language and Certificate in Vocational studies.
This, according to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adesola Ajayi, is aimed at preparing the graduates for future challenges, and particularly to be job providers and not employment seekers.
He noted that the combined Convocation ceremony covers 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic sessions, explaining that in 2022/2023 academic session, 15 students from Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences graduated with First class Honours, 32 students got Second Class Upper Division, while 12 students had Second class lower Division and four students with third class.
In the Faculty of Engineering, he said 32 students graduated with Second class Upper Division, 12 students with 2nd class lower Division and four with third class in the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences in 2022/2023 Academic session.
He said: “For the 2022-2023, we have 15 first-class in the Faculty of Science, and 17 in the Faculty of Engineering, making 32.
“We have 32 second-class upper in Science, 43 second-class upper in Engineering, making 75. For the 2022 category, 12 in Science, 16 in Engineering, making 28. And in the third-class category, 4 and 2 respectively.
“So for the 2023-2024, we have 13 in Science, 24 in Engineering, making 37. We have 30 in Science, 46 in Engineering, making 76 in the 2021 category. In the 2022 category, we have 23 in Science, 20 in Engineering, making 43.
“And in the third-class category, we have 2 in Science, and 9 in Engineering, making 11. If I may give you faculty summary. For the two years, in the Faculty of Science, we have 28 first-class.
“In Natural and Applied Science, we have 28 first-class, 62 Second Class Upper, 35 in Second Class lower and 6 third-class. In the Faculty of Engineering, we have 41 first-class, 89 second-class upper, 36 second-class lower, and 11 third-class.”
The event had in attendance top government functionaries including Head of Service, Olubunmi Oni; Deputy Chief of Staff, Fola Oyekunle; Commissioner for Environment, Abdulmojeed Magbonjubola, and host of others.