Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun said on Saturday in Abeokuta that his government has approved the construction of 12 blocks of smart classrooms in four schools across the state’s four zones.

During the 2024 Teachers’ Day celebration, the governor named the four schools as Abeokuta Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Remo Secondary School in Sagamu and Yewa College in Ilaro.

He also approved Monday as a work-free day to enable teachers to celebrate the 2024 Teachers’ Day.

Mr Abiodun disclosed that approval had been given for the renovation of all special schools.

”We have also as well approved an increment in the feeding allowance of pupils in special schools to make them feel a sense of belonging,” he said.

The governor acknowledged the contributions of teachers in moulding the character of those of future generations.

“My administration has repositioned and reformed the education sector in the state to serve the people better.

“Some of the reforms include the Ogun Digitalised Multimedia Lesson Plan, where teachers will be equipped with the necessary resources to deliver effectively with centralised and digitised lesson plans.

“Others are the construction of the Central Education Management Information System (EMIS) for data gathering, analysis and presentation,” he said.

Mr Abiodun then urged all education sector stakeholders to reflect on education’s profound impact on individuals and teachers’ pivotal role in shaping the children’s lives and the entire nation.

He acknowledged the teaching profession’s challenges, noting that despite the obstacles, teachers remained unwavering and ensured every child had the chance to thrive.

“We believe that education is the bedrock of any meaningful socio-political and economic development, and teachers are the architects of that foundation.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting educators, improving teachers’ salaries, funding training programmes and ensuring that every classroom is well-equipped,” the governor said.

Earlier, Felix Agbesanwa, chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) in Ogun, had noted that the state government had been mindful of teachers’ welfare.

“We appreciate the present administration for recruiting more teachers, as well as renovating schools and bringing sanity to the schools through the signing of undertakings by parents and students,” the union chairman said.

(NAN)