Poised to raise the bar at improving standards of learning and encouraging academic excellence in the tertiary institutions owned by Ogun state, Governor Dapo Abiodun, has disclosed that his administration has approved a sum of N200m as Annual State Education Intervention Fund.

He also endowed the best graduating student’s award for one million naira annually in honour of his late dad, Dr Emmanuel Adesanya Abiodun, who passed on August 2.

Abiodun made this disclosure while speaking at the 12th Convocation Ceremony of the Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu- Ode, held at the weekend.

The governor, who stressed the importance of education and the need to adequately fund it, added his administration had approved the rehabilitation of internal and access roads of tertiary institutions and the purchase of buses and other necessities for the institutions across the state.

“We have approval of N200million as Annual State Education Intervention Fund for the development of infrastructure in State owned tertiary institutions. We have approved the rehabilitation of internal and access roads of tertiary institutions and the purchase of buses and other necessities for our tertiary institutions.

“We have also approved scholarships for outstanding students in all Ogun State tertiary institutions, approval for the payment of bursary to Ogun State indigenes in tertiary institutions across the country, as well as approval for Ogun State Education Intervention Fund (OGSEIF) as a Special Intervention Fund for the Education Sector”, the governor said.

He acknowledged the steady growth of TASUED, which according to him has grown to connote the state’s symbol of academic excellence, honour, nobility and the flagship of University of Education in Nigeria.

This, he noted, was achieved by teaching both the curriculum subject contents and the pedagogy for effective transfer of knowledge.

Abiodun further noted that since transitioning from a College of Education and starting with only 25 PhD holders on its permanent academic staff, TASUED has grown to about 250, and from no professor to 53 home-grown full professors running 33 PhD programmes, 43 undergraduate programmes.

He said the on-going massive infrastructural rehabilitation of public schools in all parts of Ogun State was not only to provide the conducive ambience for the teaching-learning process, but also to make the teaching profession attractive and more professional.

While pledging his administration’s commitment to education, the governor, on behalf of his late father, made a personal donation of N1m Endowment Fund for the overall best graduating student every year.

He charged the new graduands to see their achievements as the starting point for achieving greater heights in the nearest future, urging them to think outside the box of what they could have do to become employers and not add to the growing rate of unemployment.

“As you go into the world to contribute your quota, you should remember that you are now transitioning into becoming shapers of other destinies. By your graduation today, as teachers, you now have the responsibility towards ensuring that the younger generation is also well developed both in character and learning. Be wise, responsible, industrious, dependable, humble and always portray positive character known of a worthy model” the governor submitted.

The Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Oluwole Banjo, in his speech, said the school has embarked on restructuring to enable it produce high quality and well rounded professionals that could be compared withtheir peers anywhere in the world.

He said apart from sustaining the growth of the institution by ensuring accreditation of all programmes, the management has embarked on the construction 15 housing units, while the school has been designated as the health facility for COVID-19 for students, staff and the host community.

In a Convocation lecture titled, ‘ Information and Communication Technology in the New World Normal, Envisioning Teacher Education Education in 2021’, the Group Executive Officer and Managing Director, Airtel Africa PLC, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, noted that Nigeria missed out in the first two industrial revolutions, still trying to catch up with its peers in Africa and Asia, saying it was time for the nation to brace up in the fourth revolution so as not to miss out in the future.

Ogunsanya who posited that IT had enormous impact in delivery for inclusive education as any school that depends solely on face to face contact would in no time disappear, added that it present digital technologies used in storing, formating, transforming, retrieving and transmitting information in the future.

While congratulating the graduating students, the CEO charged them to complement their certificates with the right ICT skills to function optimally in the new world as well as hard working, grit and tenacity of purpose, adding that they must learn new skills, groom themselves as 21st century teachers and be good ambassadors of their school.

Speaking on behalf of thr graduands, the Best Overall Graduating Student, Mr. Adeniyi Oluwaseyi Ogunyale, appreciated the institution for the undergraduate work study scheme which has helped indigent students to realise their education aspirations.

While lauding the teaching and non teaching staff of the school for inculcating the right education, skills and morales on them to face the world’s challenges, he charged his colleagues to always reflect on the lessons learnt while in school by being good ambassadors and see their certificates as a stepping stones to achieve greatness in the future.

Highlights of the event included the conferment of Honorary Doctorate Awards on the Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde, Olugbenle, Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi and the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, AIRTEL PLC.