.. pledges not to witch-hunt any Staff

In its efforts to ensure an up-to-date record of the staff of the  Polytechnic, Ibadan,  the Oyo State Government on Tuesday set up a 12- man committee to carry out a comprehensive staff audit of the Institution.

The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu, while inaugurating  the committee chaired by Dr. Bisi Ojebola at the Board of Studies Chamber (BOS), of the Polytechnic Ibadan, stated that the staff audit exercise is not meant to witch-hunt any staff.

He assured the entire workforce of this institution that the audit will strengthen the capacity of the State Government to satisfy the needs of the staff.

He explained that the staff audit became inevitable to enable the Government to have accurate statistics of all authentic and genuinely employed staff of the institution for adequate provision.

He maintained that the committee is given just two weeks to submit its  report, urging the committee to be diligent in discharging the assignment given to them.

“Staff Audit in any institution is supposed to be annual rituals because staff are recruited, there is bound to retirement development on yearly basis, some go on retirement, some that are late, some are on voluntary resignation, this exercise is meant to take accurate data as at 2024 about those that are in the system and those that have left the system.

Also, the Government of the State works with logic, science and accurate data. It is when you have accurate data that you will be able to plan very well.

The exercise is not to witch-hunt anybody but to get accurate data and forge ahead.

I want the committee members to be diligent in discharging their duties. The task may be too sensitive in recording management, and they have only two weeks to do the assignment.

Earlier, the Chairman of the committee, Dr. Bisi Ojebola, said the committee will do the work given to them diligently with the fair of God.

He stated further that the committee is meant to assist the staff and not to do any harm to the  staff of the institution.

In his remarks, the Acting Rector of the Institution, Dr. Taiwo Lasis, said the staff audit of the institution is long overdue.

He said the audit will enable the institution to know the area of its strengths and weaknesses.

He allayed the fears of the workers that the exercise is not to witch hunt any staff but to assist the institution to  further achieve its goals.

E-Signed

Media Team of MoES&T

… trains 58 Teachers on Soiless/Hydroponic Farming

In its bid to resuscitate farming in public schools, the Oyo State Government through the ministry of Education, Science and Technology has trained fifty Eight

pre—vocational studies teachers on soiless/hydroponic farming on skill acquisition.

The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu, while speaking at a day training of trainers (ToT) Workshop, held at Wesley College of Science, Elekuro, Ibadan, said that the training will enable the teachers to instill entrepreneur skills in the area of agriculture to their students to become agropreneurs.

He explained that the Fifty -Eight trained  Teachers will be the ones to  train other Agricultural Science Teachers across the thirty-three local government areas of Oyo State.

He said: The essence of this training is that we are going back to the farm.

“We are resuscitating the school farming, and we want to catch the children so young. And we are coming up with a hydroponic farming this time around in all our secondary schools. “What do I mean by hydroponic farming, It’s a soiless farming,

if you see what is going on in the area of agricultural development worldwide, nobody is going to the thick bush farming again, what they do, they do their farming activities in the greenhouse, where  water conservation is regulated, temperature is regulated, the pest, and the weed control is properly managed.

“And this often increases the yield, so,we are now bringing  selected teachers across the thirty-three-local governments in Oyo State to train them and to go back to train others and encourage them to go back to the farm in our secondary schools. So, that’s the essence.

“What we intend to achieve is to make all our students agropreneurs, We want them to develop entrepreneurial skills in the area of agriculture. And many of them can eventually become millionaires.

“They are not going to graduate and begin to seek for jobs. They can now as well be recruiting people. They will plant very big, but they can start very small, with little money such as  #5,000, #10,000, #20,000. These children can start after graduation, even while in the school, some of them can start  practicing Hydroponic farming, and all these skills involved, this is what we want the teacher to start putting these children through before they finish their NECO or WAEC Examination.

In her remarks, the Director of Basic Education in the Ministry, Mrs. Olabode Abosede, called on agricultural science teachers in public schools to endeavor to introduce their students to practical aspects of the subject in due course to get the desired result.

She explained that the good thing about school farming in which the Government is bringing back on board is the introduction of soiless farming, which she described as a modern way of farming.

She encouraged teachers of agricultural science in various schools to embrace the initiative, particularly schools with limited farm land.

Mrs. Abosede  lauded the teachers for their commitment to the training, noting that the ministry would put in place a monitoring team for a periodic  visit to the schools and Project evaluation.

*E-signed

Media Team of MoES&T,

The Oyo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has booked a place in the final of the ongoing Oyo State Civil Service Inter – Ministerial Football Competition.

The much coordinated side defeated her counterpart from the Ministry of Agric by 5 goals to one (5-1) during the encounter played at the School Field of Ikolaba High School, Ibadan.

Speaking shortly after the game, the Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology.  Prof. Salihu Adelabu, admonished the players to see the competition as a fun and way to be healthier.

Prof. Adelabu expressed gratitude to the Oyo State Government for the opportunity, saying  the exercise will promote unity among civil servants and encourage them to embrace sports  leading to increased productivity.

He also expressed optimism that the ministry of Education, Science, and Technology will lift the Trophy at the end of the final.

He said: This is a novelty match organized for all Civil servants in the State.

“Work without play makes a jack a dull boy. I just want to appreciate His excellency, the Governor of Oyo State for approving this kind of game, it creates more relationship and sportsmanship among the Civil servants.

“I just want every staff member to know that the game is for fun, and we should sustain that.

“In the Ministry of Education, we are looking forward to lifting the trophy. As we are going to the final now, we are very optimistic that we are going to win the final.

The Oyo State Inter-Ministerial Football Match is part of a week-long celebration of Civil Service Week.

The event had in attendance, the Permanent Secretaries/Inspectors General of Education (PS/IGs).

E-Signed

Media Team MoES&T,

Oyo State Government, on Friday, announced the release of the 2024 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) Result for Junior Secondary School (JSS 3) students in public and private schools in the State.

This is contained in a release signed and made available to journalists in Ibadan by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu.

The release indicated that the Principals of the Private and Public Schools should visit their respective Local Inspector of Education (LIE) offices for their results by Monday, 23rd September 2024.

Prof. Adelabu noted that the prompt release of the result was part of the efforts of the Government to improve the education sector of the State.

He lauded the school heads and staffers for their cooperation and support during the examination period, while admonishing the Students to face their studies squarely and desist from anything that can distract them.

*E-Signed

Media Team MoES&T,

…as Govt vows to deal with perpetrators

Oyo State Government has expressed its readiness to partner with the Gender Mobile Initiative to reduce cases of sexual harassment and other vices in State’s Owned Tertiary Institutions through technology.

Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abdulwaheed Adelabu disclosed this on Thursday at A One—Day Stakeholders’ Meeting with Education Commissioner on Dissemination, Adaptation, and Implementation of Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy in Tertiary Institutions in Oyo State, held at the Polytechnic, Ibadan.

Speaking further at the meeting organized by the Education Ministry and Gender Mobile Initiative, Prof. Adelabu, said the Ministry together with the organization would design a framework that will complement the existing policies of each public tertiary institution in respect to sexual harassment.

He added that the introduction of technology would assist greatly in tracking perpetrators of sexual harassment in the Institutions and activities of individuals on campuses.

The commissioner openned that lecturers are expected to see their students as biological children and treat them in such a manner.

He submitted that sometimes students deliberately harass their lecturers sexually through various means, calling on both to desist from the act.

Prof. Adelabu revealed that the Governor Seyi Makinde administration would support the organization that is ready to work with Government in achieving its desires goals and objectives.

He noted that the Government will not spare anyone caught engaging in sexual harassment and other vices but deal with them accordingly.

The convener, Barrister Omowumi Ogunrotimi, said the organization sees the need to sensitize and educate the people about what constitutes sexual harassment and ways of preventing the menace, particularly among students of tertiary Institutions.

She hinted that about 70% of undergraduates experienced sexual harassment, adding that the Gender Mobile Applications provides a clear reporting channel for victims of sexual harassment to reach the leaderships of concerned Institutions.

She harped on the need for the leadership of tertiary Institutions to integrate sexual harassment preventive mechanisms into their framework and also leverage on technology.

While appreciating the Oyo State Government for the unalloyed support, Ogunrotimi said work would commence with the heads of tertiary Institutions in the State using the model policy on sexual harassment prevention approved by the federal ministry of education.

Commending the leadership of Education ministry and the convener of the programme, member, Oyo State house of assembly, Hon. Bisi Oluranti Michael, advised the students to stay away from indecent

dressing, particularly the female students, saying this would prevent them from becoming victims of sexual harassment or rape.

*E-Signed

Media Team of MoES&T*

Oyo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, has expressed its readiness to collaborate with Oyo State Mobilization Agency for Socio Economic Development (OYMASED) to improve culture and values in Public schools in the State.

The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu stated this on Thursday while playing host to the Management Team of the Agency led by the Director General, Dr. Morohunkola Thomas in his Office, Agodi, Secretariat, Ibadan.

The commissioner explained that the Ministry will continue to work with agencies and MDAs that will assist in improving the education sector and promoting positive values in schools.

He admonished the Agency to tailor its sensitization to the mindset of the students so that they can be mindful of their future.

He therefore congratulated  Dr. Morohunkola Thomas, on his new appointment, describing the appointment as  the right peg in right hole.

He said: “The mindset of our students should be tailored towards their dream and what they want to become in life.

‘You mentioned that your agency is going to move our students from poverty to prosperity. We should be able to assist in the area of values and culture. You need to embark on comparative studies with neighbouring African countries that are doing well.

Earlier, the Director General of OYMASED, Dr. Morohunkola Thomas, explained that the new agency is saddled with the responsibility of educating people at the grassroots on the socio-economic activities of the Governor Seyi Makinde led administration in the State.

He added that mobilization and education of residents of the State will help in achieving one of the agendas of the State Government, which is moving people from poverty to prosperity.

According to Dr. Thomas, the Governor set up this agency to work on mobilizing our people and giving them a new orientation on how to live a life that would take them from poverty to prosperity. And to live a life that would take us from poverty to prosperity, education is key.

“We identify the fact that the core values of our society have really gone down. The values of integrity, discipline, handwork, respect for elders, those values have gone down seriously.

“We should start with our children, especially those in secondary schools. We are proposing that we have engagement with school principals, guidance counsellors who are relating with most of the students.

*E-signed

Media Team of MoES&T

The Oyo State Government through the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology has announced the postponement of the remaining 2024 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), slated for Thursday, 1st, August,2024.

In a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Ibadan, by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu, said the examination has been deferred until further notice.

He further explained that its decision to put the remaining examinations on hold was sequel to the planned protest against hunger scheduled to hold tomorrow, August, 1st, 2024.

He hinted that another date for the remaining examination will be communicated to public.

He said the Ministry expressed regret for any inconvenience the postponement may cause to students, parents, and teachers.

*E-Signed

Media Team of MoES&T

Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Salihu Adelabu, has issued a stern warning to students in all the State-owned Tertiary Institutions in the state not to participate in a planned protest scheduled to take place in various parts of the country, from August 1.

The Commissioner gave the warning in a statement made available to the newsmen on Tuesday in Ibadan, urged the students to “stay away from any violence-related activities”.

The commissioner specifically urged the students to “be wary of any planned protest across the country”.

He noted with concern that “any misfortune that befalls students”, whom he referred to as his “children”, would be highly felt by their parents and guardians.

He urged parents and guardians to take full custody of their Children before, during and after  the protest.

E-Signed

Media Team of MoES&T,

The Oyo State Government has released the 2023/2024 Academic Session Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) timetable, for Public and Private Schools in the State.

The announcement was made by the Registrar of Education, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Awodeji Johnson, on behalf of the Honourable Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu on Wednesday.

The timetable outlines the dates and subjects for the examination, as this move aims to ensure proper planning and preparation for the Examination.

The timetable indicates that BECE will commence with National Value and Christian Religious/Islamic Studies on 23rd July, 2024 and end with Arabic Language / Hausa/Igbo language , on Thursday,  August 1st, 2024.

The Commissioner noted that the Examination is expected to commence across the State at all designated centres by 9.00am daily.

Similarly, the 2024 Screening /Placement exercise will hold on Saturday, 27th July, 2024, with Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning/Basic Science and Technology; English Studies/Verbal Reasoning/Social Studies between 9:00am to 11:00 am.

He explained that the release of the time-table demonstrates the Oyo State Government’s commitment to providing quality education and maintaining a standardized examination process.

He therefore enjoined schools, teachers, and students to align their study plans and revision schedules accordingly.

The Commissioner also urged concerned stakeholders to disseminate the information to all relevant parties, to ensure everyone is well-informed and adequately prepared for the examination.

E-signed

Media Team MoES&T