O-school, Omeal, O-uniform, Opon-imo Have Revitalized Education Sector

Without mincing words, exactly two months after assumption of office, Ogbeni Aregbesola organized a world-class education summit with the purpose of charting a new course toward liberating the educational sector  in Ipinle Omoluabi, in conformity with the evolving trends in the sector. Therefore, schools were classified under basic education as elementary, middle and high, rather than the then existing primary, junior and secondary level, while a comprehensive overhaul of the physical and human components of the sector was also recommended.

Today, education at the primary and secondary level has witnessed a huge reformation, as Ogbeni Aregbesola promises to develop every child and raise him up to a certain level. This has resulted in the inauguration of the O'School, O-meal, O'Uniform, O' Calisthenics and the Opon Imo projects.

The physical infrastructure component of this reclassification is being carried out systematically with the building of elementary, middle and high schools. The human and social components, such as provision of instructional materials, recruitment of qualified teachers, psychological and social support through the revival of hard work, valued re-orientation, honesty, discipline, determination and calisthenics activities are simultaneously been introduced.

For the actualization of the O'School project, the state government of Osun has abolished fees in primary and secondary schools and slashed tertiary fees by 30 per cent.

Primary school funding has been increased from the N7.4m per annum by the former government to N42m, and in secondary schools, the funding has been increased from N117m to N427m.

Over 180,000 pupils are being fed with nutritious meals everyday, including the distribution of 750,000 free school uniforms to all pupils with two pairs each. Likewise, secondary school students in Osun no longer pay for WAEC examination, as the Aregbesola administration has paid it all.

In line with Ogbeni Aregbesola's commitment to education, e-learning tablet under the project name OPON IMO was distributed to secondary school students. The electronic system has 39 subjects, 54 textbooks, lesson notes, past questions of the West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE), National Examination Council (NECO) and Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and all text books for secondary school installed in it, to reduce the level of students' failure in examinations.

O'Calisthenics is aimed at producing leaders of tomorrow, who will exhibit the virtue of team work, unity and cooperation. However, in spite of its meagre resources, Governor Aregbesola is replacing old, dilapidated school buildings throughout the state with 170 mega schools, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, to create a conducive environment for learning. Each unit will have facilities, which include an examination hall that can accommodate 1500 students, laboratories, e-libraries, classrooms containing not more than 40 students per class, among others.

The Senate Committee Chairman on Education, Sen. Uche Chukwumerije, has described the education policy of the State of Osun as the best in the nation, enjoining others to put aside political differences and take a cue from the education revolution going on in the state. Meanwhile, the senate committee chairman on education, Sen. Uche Chukwumerije has declared recently the education policy of the State of Osun as the best in the nation, enjoining other to put aside political differences and take cue from the education revolution going on in the state.