By DAYO ADESULU

The Governor of Osun State, Mr Rauf Aregbesola has vowed to revamp the almost collapsed education sector he inherited from his predecessor few years ago as he launches the distribution of customized computer tablets tagged, Opon-Imo (Tablet of Knowledge) to students of S.S.1 to S.S.3 in public secondary schools in the state.

Speaking through the Deputy Governor and Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori at a press conference held in Lagos, he noted that the Tablets of Knowledge which are ready for distribution were built to improve learning among secondary school students in the state and also to further prepare them for external and internal examinations.

“The tablets which are designed in the form of an iPad would be distributed to the students free-of-charge,” he said.

Titi Laoye-Tomori stated that the state government’s readiness to launch the initiative which she described as a milestone in the history of education development in the country, will enhance learning.

She noted that the Governor Rauf Aregbesola-led government is determined to ensure that students of the State of Osun are effectively prepared to meet up with the high standards needed for them to excel in the world of learning and research.

Tomori explained that the Opon Imo are installed with softwares of all the subjects being offered in secondary schools incorporating different textbooks and lesson notes as well as past questions and answers on the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), National Examination Council (NECO) Examination, as well as the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) which will help facilitate the students’ preparedness for these examinations.

“The computer tablets have been preloaded with lesson notes on 17 subjects offered by students in the WASSCE and NECO.

“It contains six extracurricular subjects  including sexuality education, entrepreneurship, civic, computer education, Yoruba, history and  traditional religion.

“There are 63 textbooks in the e- library, revision notes for 10 years and a mock test center for students. It also affords students unfettered access to textbooks.”

At the initial take off, Tomori disclosed that 150,000 copies of Opon Imo have been produced as teachers also would receive their copies.

Since inception of Governor Aregbesola administration’s focus on education in the state, she pointed out that the academic performance of students in Osun have improved. Her words; “Here is the academic performance of Osun students  in WASSCE when compared to other states of the federation. In 2009, Osun came 20th as only 7,517 students had five credits (about 18.33%). In 2010, it was 20th   position, with 6,773 students having five credits (15.67%).