Jimoh Abolade, Gbongan
The annual free summer school coaching organised by Alaafia Dotun Foundation has suffered a setback with the termination of approval given to it by Osun Ministry of Education for the use of some public schools.
The foundation, which was founded by Prince Dotun Babayemi, a member of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) , said with partisan decision from the Osun state Government, innocent children, mostly from poor family backgrounds across Osun West Senatorial District, would be denied opportunity of free qualitative education
for six weeks.
The foundation said approval was sought and was given through a letter dated 24th July 2019, signed by one O.O Adeyeye on behalf of the permanent secretary, Festus Olajide to make use of some public schools for the free summer coaching.
It said it was surprising that another letter dated 6th August 2019 from the office of the Permanent Secretary, Osun State Ministry of Education, terminating the prior approval based on what the government called “logistic “.
The foundation said the free coaching initiative had been holding annually for the last few years, adding that students across
the District were looking forward to this year’s edition with excitement.
It said purpose of the initiative is to take school children off the streets and get them engaged academically during the long holiday.
According to a press statement released and signed by the foundation, said “since it was not requesting for resources from government to conduct the free coaching, why should government terminate the approval for using some public schools for the exercise”
” Is the foundation planning to use all schools in Osun West Senatorial District?
” Again, why is it that all the selected schools for this year’s edition were affected by what the government of the day termed “logistics”?
” The state government should remember that education is important to the development of any society and as such, stop playing blind politics with the future of innocent children in Osun West Senatorial District.
“Moreover, any lover of education would wonder why a government which is claiming to raise the standard of education after spending several billions of naira
on school structures, is now raising this flimsy excuse and blocking these future leaders from having a taste of free qualitative education brought to their doorstep by the foundation”.
The foundation said the defection of its founder, Prince Dotun Babayemi from All Progressives Congress (APC) to PDP should not be used to destroy the lives of the students who were yearning for the free coaching.
“The APC government in Osun has for the last few years to date introduced and implemented a fee for education across board for all children via the backdoor
scheme of education tax.
“Students are not allowed to stay in school irrespective of their family financial status while the government just keeps building and commissioning structures called mega schools worth billions of naira and getting poor families to pay for their ineptitude via a backdoor policy of education tax.
“But through the ALAAFIA DOTUN foundation, over four hundred students have enjoyed scholarship throughout their course of study in various universities across the country.
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