Aregbesola’s schoolmates advocate debates in schools

Schoolmates of the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, have advocated frequent debates and excursions to places of interest for pupils in public primary and secondary schools.

The President of R-MATES, which is 1980 set of The Polytechnic, Ibadan where Aregbesola graduated from, Mr. Kola Akere, said this in an interview in Osogbo on Thursday.

Akere, whose group organised a debate for students of public secondary schools in the state, said that organising such debates would give the pupils exposure and force them to be serious with their studies.

He said, “R-MATES organised debates for pupils of high schools in the three senatorial districts of Osun State and the final will hold later this year. We found out that such a competition should be organised more often because it would encourage the pupils to be more serious with their studies.

“When you want to go for a debate, you will have to prepare very well and this kind of preparation would become part of them and it would help them in their studies and even later in life.”

Urging governments at all levels to be spending more on education, Akere also enjoined individuals and corporate organisations to assist in funding education.

Organising debates and excursions for pupils, he added, would help the pupils and the larger society.

Akere said, “Excursion is part of education and pupils in government schools should also be taken to interesting places on excursions. This will expose them to information they would find useful in the future.

The group also advocated training for teachers in public school, just like what their counterparts in civil service enjoy.

Akere stated that such training would expose them to new teaching techniques.

He said, “Teachers also need to attend seminars and workshops like their counterparts in the civil service. This will give them opportunities to learn new skills and they would learn from one another.

“Organising seminars and trainings for teachers will have positive effects on the performance of pupils, especially those in public schools.”