Ondo State Government on Thursday called for more partnership with individuals and corporate bodies to develop its education sector.
Mr Bamidele Akinlagbe, the Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB), made the call at the flag-off of distribution of 60,000 notebooks to indigent primary school pupils in Ondo State by Dalacreamz Foundation.
Akinlagbe said that government could not do it alone and urged individuals and corporate bodies to assist government in the areas of donations of books and other facilities to help develop education in the state.
“My advice is that other individuals and corporate bodies should emulate the kind gesture of the Foundation to help develop better future for the state and the country at large,” he said.
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Akinlagbe explained that the school shuttle buses that had stopped was due to the pandemic that ravaged the world.
He noted that stringent conditions due to the virus for the bus to operate could not be met.
Earlier, President of the Dalacreamz Foundation, Mr Oluyemi Fasipe, said the donation was borne out of sympathy for innocent pupils whose parents could not afford all the necessities.
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Fasipe commended Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu-led government for investing in the education sector.
He said that the assistance of individuals and corporate bodies were still needed to complement efforts of government.
He said that the Foundation involved the Ministry of Education through SUBEB to ensure that the notebooks got to the targeted pupils.
Fasipe noted that the distribution, currently being done in the Central Senatorial district, would also be repeated at the North and South Senatorial districts soon.
“Dalacreamz Foundation was created to attend to the welfare of children, especially primary school pupils in Ondo State.
“Although, it must be stated that all we had at the point of registering this Foundation was a mere idea and passion to positively impact on the lives of indigent school children.
“Truth must also be told that the needed resources were not immediately available at the point of setting out to intervene in the situations of deprived pupils across the State.
“However, we were encouraged by the age-long cliche which says, `there will always be a way whenever there is the will power’.
“It is also very necessary to underscore the fact that gone were the days when public treasury is inexhaustible,’’ he said.
According to him, undoubtedly, the reality of today is that government cannot do everything because of increasing responsibilities in the face of diminishing revenues.
“In spite of this, kudos must be given to Gov Akeredolu-led government in Ondo State for their efforts in funding the education sector.
“However, there is still need for individuals, corporate bodies as well as Foundations to complement the good efforts of government; not only in the educational sector but in all other sectors,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the notebooks were shared to selected schools from all the six local government areas in the central senatorial district. (NAN)
