The Commissioner for Information in Ekiti, Taiwo Olatunbosun, says 203 public schools benefit from the $25 million School Improvement Grant (SIG) released by the World Bank to uplift the state’s education standard.

The commissioner said in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday tha the fund is being used to construct new buildings, renovate old ones and erect perimeter fencing.

According to him, the fund is also being used to purchase equipment for the benefit of all students in the schools, including People Living With Disabilities (PLWDs).

“There is the innovation development and effectiveness in the acquisition of skills project, which was also supported by the World Bank to enhance the capacity of the skills development system to produce relevant skills for the formal and informal sectors without leaving out PLWDs.

“In fact, there is no public school in the state that has not been substantially touched by the government’s developmental efforts without bias to the enrollment of PLWDs.

“The government also paid N546.9 million in WAEC/SSCE fees for 16,269 SS3 students in public schools for this year, making all SS3 students in public schools beneficiaries, including people living with disabilities,” he said.

The commissioner reiterated the Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s, administration’s commitment to the welfare of Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWDs) in the state.

He appealed to residents to support the state government’s efforts to make life more meaningful for all stakeholders in the state, particularly the PLWDs.

The commissioner recalled that in January, the state government launched a free healthcare programme that allows people with disabilities access to healthcare services at no cost.

He said the healthcare programme was designed by the Office of Special Education and Social Inclusion in collaboration with the State Ministry of Health.

“The programme is designed to enable all people living with disabilities in the state to enjoy free healthcare services in all government-owned primary, secondary and tertiary health facilities across the state and was well advertised,” said Mr Olatunbosun.

Mr Olatunbosun noted that, apart from the three government special schools specifically established to cater for the education of PLWDs, education is free, compulsory, and qualitative from primary to senior secondary school in the state.

(NAN)