Oyo State Government Denies Privatizing Schools

THE Oyo State Government has debunked insinuations that its new
policy direction on education is aimed at privatizing its secondary
schools, just as it clarified that the proposed partnership with
stakeholders would not lead to retrenchment of a single teacher.


The government's position was conveyed at a news conference by the
Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication and Strategy, Mr.

Yomi Layinka, in Ibadan, yesterday
Other stakeholders at the press briefing were the Permanent Secretary in
the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mrs. Aderonke
Makanjuola; and her counterpart in the Information and Culture
ministry, Dr. Bashir Olanrewaju.

The government's representatives said the press conference was called to
allay the fears of members of the public who have been fed with what he
called half truth and outright falsehood by a few uninformed individuals
and organizations.

As a governor elected on the popular mandate of the people for a historic
second term, Layinka said Senator Abiola Ajimobi would not take any
decision that would be against the overriding interest of the public.

He explained that the government only responded to clarion calls by
religious leaders, missionaries, old students' associations and
communities to partner with it in the management of few of the schools,
which they originally owned.

Layinka said, "We are only going into partnership with these bodies who
might meet the criteria for return of such schools. We are not selling our
schools. In fact, we might end up returning not more than 20 out of our
631 secondary schools that were originally owned by missionaries and
communities.

(VANGUARD)