Learners Below Age 16 Won’t Graduate -Ogun Gov’s Aide

The Special Adviser to the Governor of Ogun State on Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, has said that the Ogun State Education Revitalisation Agenda (OGSERA) platform, was designed in a way that any learner below the age of 16 would not be allowed to graduate from secondary schools in Ogun State.

Prof. Arigbabu, according to the ministry’s Press Officer, Mr Ayoola Obadimu, said that Primary IV pupils would not be allowed into any of the secondary schools in the state, either public or private, adding that the policies were part of the efforts of the government to further promote efficiency in the education sector.

He stated that the only way pupils could be admitted into the 42 Public Flagship Secondary Schools will be through the screening exercise and not through transfer process.

The governor’s aide made this known during an assessment and evaluation meeting on the just concluded 2023 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), scheduled with the Zonal Education Officers in all the 20 local government areas across the state.

He stated that the state was working tirelessly to tackle the challenges of disorderliness in public schools in order to boost learners’ performance and ensure teacher quality, revealing that the ministry was planning to have a classroom of not more than 40 learners to a teacher ratio.

Arigbabu challenged the ZEOs to be proactive, accountable, diligent, focused, have good conduct, and be good ambassadors of the government in their respective jurisdiction, urged them to make efforts to eliminate any form of abnormalities facing the sector, so as to achieve smooth learning and peaceful academic environment.

Responding on behalf of other ZEOs, Messer Taiwo Adebayo of Ifo Local Government, Ismail Yussuf, Yewa North Local Government, and Mrs. Adeola Ayoola of Ewekoro Local Government promised full cooperation to be prompt and be on top of their responsibilities to make the education sector in the State better and stronger.