…..ensure basic education for all as Major Ogunsanya renovates block of Six Classrooms in Ago-Iwoye
Government at Federal, State and local government levels have been urged to continue to prioritise education by investing more funds and ensuring safe and quality basic education for all.
The call was made by a foremost philanthropist and a retired United States Soldier, Major Yinka Ogunsanya, while handing over a renovated block of Six classrooms at Imososi Primary School, Ago-Iwoye.
Major Ogunsanya who undertook the school renovation under the platform of a non governmental organisation, ‘Education Care and Support Programme’, said the importance of primary education cannot be overemphasized. It is the foundation where a potent tool for shaping individuals’ perspectives, attitudes, and behaviours, creating a more peaceful society is being laid, while calling on government to ensure that primary education is not neglected.
Nigeria bears the burden of accounting for higher numbers of Out of School Children because of the neglect in the foundation, which is Primary Schools, adding that as a security expert, to fight the security challenges facing the country, the Nigerian Government must prioritise education and provide adequate funding for basic education to ensure well-equipped schools and well-trained teachers.
Major Ogunsanya who is an indigene of Ago Iwoye, Ijebu North Local government of the State while speaking at the official handling over of the classrooms on friday said he was motivated into embarking on the project because of his belief in giving back to the society.
He said, in 2020, during COVID-19 pandemic, he pushed for the distribution of palliatives to the entire Ijebuland, and few people in his association believed the time was too short to raise such funds, adding that he took on the challenge to lead the fundraising and ensure food was distributed in Ago-Iwoye as well.
As a firm believer in good and sound education, Major Ogunsanya, decided to extend his kind gesture to the education sector, which led to looking for schools that needed assistance in Ago-Iwoye.
Through the efforts of one of his cousins, three schools were identified for assistance in the area of renovation of classrooms, but due to paucity of funds, the three schools could not be fixed at the same time, hence, the decision to start with one school.
Major Ogunsanya disclosed that he chose Imososi Primary School, Ago-Iwoye, for renovation because his late father, Pa Solomon Adenala, was a student and teacher in the school, noting that when he was young, he used to play football on Imososi Primary School field whenever they came back to Ago-Iwoye from Abeokuta.
Major Yinka Ogunsanya commended the efforts of Education Care and Support Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization which he partnered with, for their great contributions to the successful completion of the renovation.
He encouraged government officials to go round the schools to identify ways to make learning easier, and where renovations are needed, they should be prioritized on their merit.
He also appealed to indigenes of Ago-Iwoye to come to the aid of the schools which many of them passed through to give back to them, not only when they are rich, but with the little they have to make the learners comfortable in the school.
The newly renovated block of six classrooms has a library equipped with toys and books to aid learning.
The Headteacher of Imososi Primary School, Mrs Joke Babalola, in her remarks, commended Major Yinka Ogunsanya for deeming it fit to undertake the renovation of the block of classrooms, saying that a great relief has been brought to the school with the renovated classrooms.
Mrs Babalola assured that the newly renovated classrooms will be adequately taken care of and well managed for the benefit of the young learners.
She appealed to more philanthropists to look in the direction of the school to offer more assistance.
The Executive Secretary of Ijebu North Local Government Education Authority, Mr Adenaya, thanked Major Yinka Ogunsanya for his act of benevolence, assuring that the renovated classrooms will be put to proper use and well maintained.
He expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done on the classrooms.
Many dignitaries who gave goodwill messages at the occasion were united in commending Major Ogunsanya for his selfless service to his community and the education sector.
They enjoined other indigenes of Ago-Iwoye to emulate Ogunsanya in giving back to their community
