By Odeh Henry
The Oyo state house of assembly has called on the state government to urgently set machineries in motion to recruit more teachers in the state before the next academic session begins.
Hon. Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji who is the Chairman House Committee on Women Affairs representing Ogbomoso North and Hon. S.A. Adedoyin, the Majority Leader of the house representing Ogbomoso South in a co-sponsored Motion titled *”Urgent Need of Teachers For Schools In Oyo State With Special Consideration For PTA Teachers To Boost Development in The Education Sector”* Noted that the quality of education at secondary level is pivotal to creating a clear future for the young ones and the nation respectively.
The house during its plenary today noted that the pace of development in any society is predicated on the amount of attention given to education most especially at both primary and secondary levels. The house further noted that the quality of education deliverable at the secondary level in any country is largely dependent on the availability of qualified teachers, noting that the level of decadence in Oyo state educational system is very disturbing and alarming as reflected in the academic performance of Oyo state students in WAEC, in which Oyo state is rated 26th in the country.
The house observed that schools in Oyo state had been making use of PTA teachers to compliment the deficiencies of qualified manpower in almost all schools across the state and such teachers have served their various schools for many years without their appointments being regularized. The house observed that with the new policy of free and quality education for all by governor Makinde, most of these PTA teachers will soon be disengaged from service since there is no more school fees payment in any form by the students, it stressed that urgent and conserted action is needed by the state government to avert possible collaps of the education sector in Oyo state.
The house therefore urged the state government through the Ministry of education and Training Service Commission (TESCOM) to urgently set machineries in motion to regularize appointments of the said PTA teachers, commence recruitment of professionally qualified teachers in Oyo state, as well as revisit the provision of running grants for schools which the immediate past administration abolished and exposed Oyo state educational sector to such vulnerability.
Hon. Ashimiyu Alarape the Minority Leader in his contribution urged the state government to urgently find a way of absurbing the PTA teachers permanently to avoid such sorry state of educational system in the future. However Hon. Adeola (Iseyin/Itesiwaju state constituency) while reacting stated that it was gathered that governor Makinde in his proactive nature is already collating names of the PTA teachers from various schools across the state for quick and effective action.
The deputy speaker, Hon. A. M. Fadeyi (Ona-ara) while making his submission urged the state government to urgently declare a state of emergency on Oyo state education sector in other for the state government do a proper overhauling of the entire system.
The speaker Rgt. Hon. Adebo Ogundiyin while commenting on the motion stated that the process will be transparent as Governor Makinde is poised to restore the lost glory of Oyo state in academic excellence furtherance to his educational policy of free and quality education for all.
