Education

FG Reaffirms Commitment to Secondary Education Development

By Web News 270

By Bukola Bardi

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to repositioning secondary education through massive infrastructural development aimed at improving teaching and learning across schools.

The Executive Secretary of the National Senior Secondary Education Commission, NSSEC, Dr Iyela Ajayi, stated this in Akure, Ondo State, during an inspection of ongoing Federal Government projects executed through the commission.

The projects under construction at Oyemekun Grammar School, Akure, one of the oldest schools in Ondo State, include a block of 12 classrooms with modern staff rooms, a 500-seater ultramodern hall, and an e-library.

Dr. Ajayi explained that similar projects were underway in five other states as part of the Federal Government’s commitment to developing the nation’s education sector.

He expressed satisfaction with the quality and pace of work and commended the school’s management for closely monitoring the projects to ensure they met specifications.

“The contractor is doing well; he has made tremendous progress. We are happy with the quality and level of work done so far,” Dr. Ajayi said. “The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to repositioning senior secondary education, especially through infrastructural development.”

The Principal of Oyemekun Grammar School, Mr. Adeniyi Oluyide, thanked the Federal Government for selecting the school for the projects, noting that the facilities would significantly enhance education in Ondo State.

Earlier, Dr. Ajayi paid a courtesy visit to the Ondo State Commissioner for Education, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun, where he announced plans to open NSSEC’s zonal office in the state.

He also commended the creation of the Ondo State Senior Secondary Education Board.

“Honourable Commissioner, we are confident that the establishment of the Ondo State Senior Secondary Education Board will further strengthen collaboration with the National Senior Secondary Education Commission,” Dr. Ajayi said. “This partnership will accelerate the transformation of senior secondary education across Ondo State, ensuring our youths acquire the knowledge, skills, and character needed to thrive in the 21st century and contribute meaningfully to national development.”

In his response, Professor Ajibefun reiterated the state’s passion for education and readiness to partner with the commission.

“We are happy at the rate NSSEC is moving, and we pledge our total support so that Ondo State can also move at that pace,” he said. “This way, the quality of education in the country will continue to rise.”

The National Senior Secondary Education Commission was established by the Federal Government to, among other mandates, enforce minimum standards for senior secondary schools across Nigeria.

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Education

Speedily Amend NSSEC Act- Stakeholders

By Web News 539

Education stakeholders have called on the National Assembly to reconsider the resuscitation of the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) Act for the development of senior secondary schools in the country

The stakeholders made the call in a statement by the Head, Press, and Public Relations of the commission, Mrs Fatima Bappare in Abuja on Tuesday at the end of a public hearing of stakeholders’ submissions to the Senate Committee on Education.

The statement quoted the Executive Secretary, NSSEC, Prof. Benjamin Abakpa as saying that the bill sought to repeal the NSSEC Act No. 47 of 1999 LFN, CAP N73 2004, describing it as inoperative since its enactment in 1999.

Prof Abakpa, while pleading for the passage of the bill, said that the bill sought to infuse and expand the functions of the commission in line with the present reality in the country and to streamline the composition and functions of the State Senior Secondary Education Board.

The Chairman, Governing Board of the Commission, Dr. Nimota Akanbi, said that the passage of the bill would help the commission provide effective guidance and oversight functions on broad policy issues.

Akanbi said it would also help in adopting best practices, monitoring institutional projects and getting funding outside government to improve the facilities and infrastructure which were the hallmark of the outstanding senior secondary education commission.

“The commission in the quest of repositioning Senior Secondary Education will be improving community participation and foreign country relationship in our senior secondary schools.

“It will also partner with the Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) in updating the Senior Secondary Education Curriculum,” she said.

She, therefore, appealed to the Senate Committee on Education to pass the NSSEC Bill into Law, adding that the commission and its stakeholders were eager to have the amendment of the NSSEC Act of 1999 align with current realities.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan explained that the Senior Secondary Education was a formative stage in education and as such required adequate attention to getting things right.

Lawan urged the stakeholders to come up with good submissions that would help the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education find a good outcome in legislation.

FRCN Abuja/Adetutu Adetule