By Monsur Olowoopejo
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, faulted the establishment of the Almajiri special schools by the Federal Government which it started in year 2013, especially in the Northern region, saying the strategy adopted by the central government has no feasible end gains.

President Goodluck Jonathan flanked by Governor Aliyu Wammako and the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III while Governor Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi ZState (l) and others watched during the official ceremony to commission the Model Almajiri school at Gagi, Sokoto State.

In 2013 while disclosing the idea, the Vice President, Namadi Sambo said that the schools would promote both Islamic and western education among school-age children, who are roaming the streets.

Fashola who made the statement at a Breakfast meeting with Stakeholders in the education sector, held at the City Hall in Lagos, said that the essence of training anyone is for him to acquire skill and use it to his benefits and for the society,

He noted that there is no competitive advantage for graduate of Almajiri schools in the present scheme of things.

According to him, “If you train people to acquire certain skills, you must develop avenue where the skills will be useful, that will be the end gain. We have thought this through and as graduates of our technical and vocational colleges, they will become our major contractors.

“And so, it worries me, what is the end gain of products of the Almajiri schools? Will you put your child there?  Will company looking through its job appraisal consider such graduates from Almajiri schools? What chance will the product of the Almajiri school have working for multinational company. Are we giving the children a fighting and survival chance when we segregate them into Almajiri schools; think about it.

“Are we giving a fighting and survival chance to those children when we segregate them.

“In some difficult challenges, yes, they use to have great schools. So for me, the key really to address the challenges in education isn’t a quick fix. It is an unending journey. And that was why politicians don’t like it because it doesn’t yield quick result,” he added.

Fashola said as part of measures to encourage vocational and technical education in the state, his government has issued over 600 contracts as annual maintenance projects of Lagos Schools; saying graduates of the state’s technical schools are the main beneficiaries.

“We have issued maintenance contract to all our schools. We have issued about 600 contracts of annual maintenance of our schools and they ranged between N2 million to N4 million per annum. Our graduate are in technical and vocational colleges will be the substantial beneficiaries of the contracts. We now want to ensure that every school in Lagos has regular and uninterrupted power supply.

“Ideally if you build a school and you don’t have responsibility for electricity, really you should take electricity for granted, but unfortunately, we the people in power, electricity is not something you can take for granted. what have done, we engage a strategic partner and we are installing solar panel in 172 school in the first round after which we will commence the second round.”

Earlier in her speech, Commissioner for Education, Olayinka Oladunjoye had expressed the Lagos State Government’s appreciation to people and organisation that embraced the support our school initiative of the present administration saying their supports have contributed in o small measure to the success of Fashola’s administration in educational sector.

Oladunjoye hinted that the Lagos State Government have decided to focus on technical and vocational education being a strong link between education and industrialisation.