Admission to model schools ’ll be on merit –Amosun

Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, says only qualified pupils will secure admission to the state model schools.

According to him, there will be no preferential treatment given to any pupil, irrespective of his or her background.

He said 10 of the 26 model schools would be ready by September for the 2014/2015 academic session.

The governor stated this on a radio programme in Abeokuta, the state capital, where he promised that the schools would be equipped with modern facilities.

Amosun said apart from the regular subjects in the arts and sciences, the schools would offer technical subjects such as woodwork, painting, plumbing, fabrication, carpentry and joinery, among others.

He said, “We are embarking on this construction of model schools to complement the existing schools. Do not forget that when we first came in, we renovated about 100 blocks of classrooms in our secondary schools. We did this in view of the terrible state we met the schools.”

Amosun added that the state Universal Basic Education Board had also constructed blocks of classrooms in selected public primary schools across the state.

According to him, the construction of the model schools is to complement the existing secondary schools and to make teaching and learning favourable.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Segun Odubela, has assured that the health status of pupils in primary and secondary schools would be monitored with two health officers in each of the schools when the pupils resume.

He said this while fielding questions on a public enlightenment programme on the state television.

The development, according to the commissioner, is part of measures to prevent the spread of the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease when the schools resume.