Oyo State Government Laud Prof. Kola Adebayo Over School Project

The Oyo state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology Prof. Joseph Olowofela has commended the selfless efforts of Prof Kola Adebayo the Chairman Sustainable Livelihoods and Development Network for Africa (SLIDEN AFRICA) towards educational and human development of students in the state while commissioning a modernized science laboratory complex donated by Prof Kola Adebayo to Oke-Ibadan High School, Oluyoro Oke Offa, Ibaban Oyo state.

The Commissioner acknowledged that the project will not only ease the financial burden of education on the state government but also increase student performance and the overall educational performance of Oyo state among committee of states.

Prof Kola Adebayo who is an alumnus of the school said, “education remains turnpike in developing any nation therefore any nation that underplays investment in her educational sector will continue to be subservient to other nations of the world. He observed that government should not be left alone with the responsibility of educational financing and development.

He asserts that this is why SLIDEN AFRICA, a non-governmental, non-profit making international organization based in Nigeria with offices in other African countries is committed to providing educational development supports for school in African countries through her Educational Development Support Programme which has delivered the Science Laboratory Complex to Oke-Ibadan High School today”.

The Chairman acknowledged the immeasurable commitment of the Principal and Oke-Ibadan Old Students Association under the leadership of Mr Adeyemi Lawal for ensuring the prompt delivery of the project and also charged the excited students to be good ambassadors of the school and also come back to replicate the kind gesture after graduation.

Earlier in his address, the school principal Mr K.A. Eniade expressed unfeigned gratitude to God and Prof Kola Adebayo for the timely completion of the Science Laboratory Complex. “The complex which houses Biology, Chemistry and Physics laboratories with modern facilities installed can conveniently accommodate sixty (60) students each at a time which is the first of its kind in Oyo state” he said.

The Principal recalled the frustration of the science teachers and Students in teaching and learning with a makeshift laboratory ever since the school laboratory became dilapidated over a decade ago. He opined that this is why some students especially in the senior class left the school and some lost interest in science subjects.

According to Mr Eniade, “the completion of the Science Laboratory Complex, will birth the improvement in student performance especially in science subjects and increase school enrolment which is currently pegged at thirty five (35) students for admission into JSS1 due to inadequate learning facilities.

In his good will message the Mr Adeyemi Lawal, the President of Oke-Ibadan Old Students Association, thanked Prof Kola Adebayo for delivering his promise and charged the school management and students to make good use of the laboratory complex.

The students could not hide their excitement as they rolled out drums, singing and dancing. Speaking on behalf of the students, Master Adesina Samuel, the Senior Prefect of the school thanked Prof Adebayo and SLIDEN AFRICA for providing a better learning environment for them even as Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination is about to commence in few days’ time with practical exams.

“Unequivocally speaking, Prof Adebayo has given us a great succour to our STEM educational challenges” he concluded.