Rumors that the State Government had a plan to hand back some schools to their original owners have been refuted by Barr. Abdulrahman Abduraheem, Oyo Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology.
According to Abdularaheem, Governor Seyi Makinde only discussed school ownership at Loyola College when a hall bearing Rotimi Akeredolu’s name was dedicated. The Governor, he said, had instructed the Old Students Association’s members, he said, to make their demands to the Ministry of Education.
The commissioner further revealed that the State Government has created a Memorandum of Understanding to guide the planned takeover of Government College, Ibadan by the Incorporated Trustees of the Government College Ibadan, comprised of the Old Students Association and government nominees, while repeating that the state government has never indicated willingness to return the schools.
He added that the new control system at the Government College in Ibadan is intended to act as a yardstick for the appropriate template in this regard.
The statement read;
“There is clearly no truth to the story making the rounds that the government of Oyo State was about to return schools to their original owners.
“The government does not have such intention and there was nowhere His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde made that statement.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Governor was confronted about a possible return of the Loyola College, Ibadan to the Old Students Association and he asked the association to direct its request to the Ministry of Education for necessary engagement.
“He did not give any directive on the return of the school or any school, whatsoever. It is true that the state has developed a proof of agreement with the Incorporated Trustees of GCIOBA, but that does not in anyway amount to a blanket return of all schools to their original owners.
“While the State will not shy away from productive partnership with stakeholders in the education sector to support its policy of free and qualitative education, it will not take any step capable of upsetting the cord of alliance already existing in a highly treasured sector like education.
“Let me use this opportunity to address some interests who appear bent on twisting the submission of Mr. Governor on this subject upside down to look for other things to do as it is clear they will not succeed in the inglorious path of attempting to whip up religious sentiments on this issue.”
Source; www.ghgossip.com
