By Gbenga Sodeinde
The Executive Chairman of the Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board, Prof Femi Akinwumi has described parents as stakeholders with very important roles in the basic education delivery system in Nigeria adding that they also have key roles to play in laying a solid foundation for the educational development of their children.
Speaking in Ado Ekiti while presenting cash gift and some school items to an indigent pupil of St. Mary’s Nursery and Primary School Irona, Ado-Ekiti, Master Ayomiposi Adeyemi, Prof. Akinwumi stressed that
despite the fact that Education is free in Public Primary and Secondary Schools in Ekiti State, it remained the responsibility of
parents to clothe their children, provide them with food and shelter, as well as ensure that their children go to school regularly and complete their studies.
Akinwumi emphasized the need for parents to have a positive attitude towards the education of their children adding that it was also their duty to monitor their children’s progress in school and allow them
time to study and play after school as well as train and encourage them to imbibe decent personal hygiene practices.
He reiterated the readiness of government at all levels in the state to assist the needy and vulnerable pupils, especially those that were indigent to access the basic education offered by the state government.
The SUBEB Boss pledged to take over the full academic responsibility
of the indigent pupil, who was reported to have lost his mother in year 2020 while his father, a painter and peasant farmer is said to be unable to cater for the basic domestic needs of the five year old pupil.
Responding, the head teacher of the school, Mrs. Fisayo Olowoyo appreciated the SUBEB boss for his philanthropic gesture and promised that staff of the school would redouble their efforts towards ensuring
that the boy excels in his studies.
According to her, the boy is exceptionally brilliant but always appears in school unkempt and many times malnourished, adding that the school authority on many occasions had taken responsible for his feeding and clothing.
The father of the boy, Mr. Ganiyu Ojo Adeyemi expressed appreciation
to the SUBEB Executive Chairman for his kind gesture.
He explained that the harsh economic climate has made it almost impossible for him to provide adequate parental care for his son adding that the proceeds of his occupation as a painter and peasant farmer were grossly insufficient to cater for the boy.
It would be recalled that the Ayomiposi was spotted by the SUBEB boss during the resumption monitoring exercise for 2nd term 2022/23 academic session which took him to St Mary’s N/P School Ado-Ekiti
amongst other schools where he directed the Head Teacher of the school to bring to his office for financial assistance.
Items presented to the indigent pupil by the SUBEB Executive Chairman include: an undisclosed amount of money, a set of school uniforms, a pupils’ lunch basket and its accessories amongst others
