The Chairman of Ibadan North Local Government Area, Hon. Oluwaseun Olufade, has urged parents to renew their confidence in public education, assuring that the sector is witnessing significant improvements in the state.
Olufade made the call on Thursday during the Catch-Them-Young Initiative Campaign held at Seventh Day Adventist Primary School 1 and 2.
Speaking at the event, the council chairman noted that the narrative surrounding public schools had begun to change following reforms introduced by the administration of Seyi Makinde since 2019.
According to him, deliberate investments in the education sector have improved the learning environment and strengthened the foundation of basic education in the state.
He commended the state government for providing teachers with essential teaching materials and infrastructure, while also ensuring the prompt payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities.
Olufade described the ongoing efforts as unprecedented, stressing that they had helped reposition public schools and restore confidence in the system.
Also speaking at the programme, Comrade Akintodun George Olubayo noted that the era of poor administration of public schools had been redefined by the current administration.
He added that the state’s commitment to basic education echoes the vision of the late nationalist leader, Obafemi Awolowo, whose free education policy in the Western Region laid the foundation for educational development in the 1970s.
Olufade therefore urged parents to support the government’s efforts by enrolling their children in public schools, emphasising that improved facilities and policies would make pupils more competitive in an increasingly globalised world.
He assured that both the state and local government authorities would continue to prioritise education as a critical driver of development.
In her remarks, the Chief Coordinator of the Catch Them Young Initiative and Bright Lens Media Networks, Ayodeni Aluko, encouraged pupils to remain focused and diligent in their studies in order to achieve their aspirations.
Aluko urged the students to cultivate discipline, curiosity and determination, noting that education remains a vital tool for personal and societal transformation.
The event, which attracted parents, teachers and school administrators, also featured the inauguration of several educational clubs aimed at nurturing leadership and intellectual development among pupils.
The clubs and their coordinators include: Muhammed Munirat (Health Club), Akinfenwa Michael (Press Club), Adebo Dumininu (JET Club), Nduka Patrick (Environmental Club), Alor Solomon (Quiz and Debate Club), and William Promise (Security Club).
