Shendam(Jos) – Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau on Saturday inaugurated two renovated science Laboratories, technical workshop and 15 other projects at the Government Secondary School, Shendam, his Alma mater.
Speaking at the event, Lalong said that his government placed high premium on education, which was why it released N4 billion as counterpart funding to the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) .
He said the renovation was part of his administration’s efforts in addressing infrastructural decay in public schools and to create conducive learning and teaching environment in the state.
“We have released counterpart funds to the tune of N4 billion to enable SUBEB access interventions from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), for infrastructural development.
“We have promoted more than 15,000 teachers to motivate them to discharge their duties diligently and we ensured the full accreditation of 20 courses at the State University, Bokkos,” he said.
Lalong said over N11 billion had been earmarked for education in the 2018 budget which would be used to renovate 15 schools across the three senatorial zones of the State.
He urged individuals and the private sector to partner government in improving the standard of education in the state.
In his remarks, Prof. Mathew Sule, the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, said education remained crucial in ensuring sustainable development in any society.
“We are here to commission four motorized boreholes with overhead tanks, a renovated block of Library, four blocks of classrooms and dining hall amongst others.
“This is a pilot scheme and same will be replicated in the Central and Northern senatorial zones of the state,” he said.
He said the SUBEB in the last three years renovated and constructed 824 classrooms, distributed more than 34, 000 plastic chairs to schools across the state as well as other learning materials .
Sule said school enrollment in the state had significantly increased by 0.53 per cent and had bridged the gender gap hitherto existing.
Earlier, Mrs Mary Yilzem, the principal of the school commended government for facilitating the donation of 40 computers to the school by an international organisation, adding that they would improve the learning capacity of both students and teachers .
Yilzem also lauded government for approving the recent employment of 4,850 ad hoc teachers in the state.
She assured government that the school authority would ensure that all the renovated structures were adequately maintained.
The principal, however, said the school was still in need of a bus, clinic and beddings among others.
(NAN)
