The opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State have been arguing over the N3.5 billion approved for the renovation of public primary schools in the state.
The PDP claims that the APC, led by Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has failed to meet the expectations of the people and has reversed the progress made in education by almost twenty years.
PDP also allege that according to Victor Olabimtan, Chairman of the Ondo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), as of February 2024, no fewer than 240,000 children were out of school in the state.
The PDP also criticizes the government’s refusal to pay registration fees for parents, which has resulted in withheld results for candidates of the West African Examinations Council for Senior Secondary Schools. They argue that the state is “Unlucky” in the area of education under Aiyedatiwa, as it has reversed all progress made in education by almost twenty years.
The PDP also criticizes the recent recruitment of teachers saying “the process was shrouded in secrecy and marred with politics and favouritism”. They say Ondo State cannot be “Lucky” under such failed arrangements. The party believes that the majority of Ondo State people will speak out against the APC government when the November 16 governorship election comes.
However, the APC, through its Publicity Secretary, Alex Kalejaye, praises Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for the release of the money, noting the role of the education sector in development. Kalejaye described primary education as the foundation from which higher schools harvest quality materials for further grooming, stating that the long years of inadequate attention, particularly to primary schools, have almost crippled the system.