By Seyi Babalola
President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has praised the educational reforms currently being undertaken by Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, describing it as an inspiration to other tiers of government as well as other states to do better.
The President made this glowing remarks during the Iftar dinner party held to mark the end of the Ramadan fasting on Saturday in Abuja.
Acknowledging the result-oriented reforms of Edo State Governor, President Tinubu said Governor Okpebholo’s efforts in the education sector is an inspiration to work harder and do more for the nation development, calling on others to emulate his effort.
Stressing that government must strive to provide practical leadership, the president berated the previous administration of Godwin Obaseki for leaving nothing of worth in the education sector, despite all the noise and bragging on social media, saying that, governance should be about sustainable programmes capable of adding to the future and progress of the country.
President Tinubu said: “I proudly watched Okpebholo, the governor of Edo State almost barefooted, walking around the schools, seeing the situation of education in Edo state. While his predecessor used to brag of being the best state and yet, they have nothing to hand over.”
Senator Monday Okpebholo had recently declared a state of emergency on the education sector in Edo State, following the failure of the immediate past administration to record any visible progress in the education system.
Recruiting over 5,000 qualified teachers within his first 100 days in office, embarking on rebuilding of dilapidated school buildings and providing a conducive atmosphere for learning in the state, Senator Okpebholo has changed the narrative in the state, repositioning it to become the most educationally advanced state in the country.
As the reforms in the education sector initiated by Sen. Monday Okpebholo begin to yield result with many parents withdrawing their wards from private schools and enrolling them in government owned public schools, observers and stakeholders are positive and advocating for other states to emulate and replicate same, if Nigeria is to achieve its education literacy goal.
