BY LAJU ARENYEKA

Over-crowded classrooms. Leaking roofs. Schools with broken fences. Schools with no fences. Pictures whose unveiling could be the nightmare of any education district in Nigeria. But for Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos state, these pictures, coupled with over a thousand words were used as tools at the recently held education summit on Public Private Partnership; Tools to secure a better learning environment for the primary school students of the area.

According to the education secretary of the district, Mr. Tolani Sule, the essence of the summit was to “bring together all stakeholders-public, private, non-governmental organisations, churches, mosques etc- to see what is going on in the educational system here, and how we can improve it and make it better.”

Sule said that there is a wide disparity between the required infrastructure and the available infrastructure to cater for primary school students in the area. “The required furniture for the 33,764 pupils in our 52 schools is 14, 884 desks and chairs, but we have only about 7, 472 available. Only about 20 of these schools have good toilets, and only about 12 are well fenced.”

An overcrowded classroom in Ojo LGA

The former Deputy Governor of lagos State who also doubled as Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Sarah Adebisi Sosan chaired the occasion as various speakers sought to proffer solutions to the situation.

The state Commissioner for Rural Development, Hon. C.O Ojelabi called on individuals and organisations to practise foundation-based and faith- based, public-private partnership (PPP) as well as the adopt-a-school programme and engage in the school capacity-building initiative.

Dr. Danoye Laguda, a lecturer at the Lagos State University advised the district to seek private intervention from the Alaba Market Community.

He also added that “Contractors should be willing to give back from what they earn. For example, if they have been contracted to build a specific number of classrooms, they can build an additional number on their own bill. There should be a bye law supporting this.”

Laguda also called on the government to provide incentives for those who are willing to support the cause, as well as proper maintenance by the royal fathers.

Lanre Ogunyemi, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly said that public confidence in public primary schools is very low. “How many political office holders or even teachers have children in these schools? Community leaders must seek the support of more privileged members of the society, the Local Government should generate a database of all those that can be approached to salvage the situation.”

Sosan, however, assured all who are willing to support the local government of transparency and integrity. “The money in the hands of the government cannot meet all these needs. That is why we are enjoining the support of all stakeholders. What we did when I was in office was to lay our challenges on the table and solicit support. We allowed them to do what they wanted and only ensured through monitoring that they met our specifications.”