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Henceforth, only teachers will enjoy overseas training in the Lagos State Civil Service, the state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has said.
Henceforth, only teachers will enjoy overseas training in the Lagos State Civil Service, the state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has said.
It would be recalled that the state government had suspended overseas training courses for all categories of its civil service officers.
Fashola, however, said at the weekend at an award presentation to the former governor of the state, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu by the Lagos State Joint Muslim Forum, that the government took the decision to exempt teachers from the suspension because of the importance which it places on education as a building block for the future of the state and the country.
The governor said that government also realized that aside from providing the infrastructure and conducive environment for learning, there is the need to broaden the knowledge and intellect of those in whose care the children are entrusted for learning, adding that no body can give what he or she does not have.
'We need to support the people, who teach our children by updating their knowledge every now and then," the governor said.
He said the target of his administration in the next four years is that the state's public schools will not have more than 50 pupils in a class.
Fashola reiterated the state government's plans to build 15,000 classrooms in the next four years to make this possible, adding that the public schools would also be so equipped to compete favourably with private schools in the state.
He recalled that the state government, last week, provided vacation jobs for 2,570 young school leavers in its bid to resuscitate the old practice, which according to him, was the vogue in the early days in Lagos . 'We all benefited from it," the governor said, adding that aside from broadening their vision and preparing them for challenges of adulthood, the vacation jobs would direct their youthful energy towards productivity.
'By the time they get home in the evening, they will be too tired for any mischief," he said. According to the governor, the school leavers would work for eight weeks and would be paid N10, 000 per month, adding that after the period, another 1000 school leavers would be taken on.
Urging the private sector to take a cue from what the state government is doing and give jobs to the young school leavers in the state, Fashola said such engagements would help shape the future of the youths.
Fashola, who said his administration, placed great importance on security, emphasized that the state government would do everything within its resources to ensure the safety of lives and properties in the state.
He said the police and other security agents in the state would be equipped adequately to combat crime and carry out their duties of making the state safe for living and doing business.
The governor reiterated his call on the private sector and all other stakeholders to partner with his administration in its effort to make Lagos crime-free.
On Health, the governor again reiterated that his administration's commitment is to reduce, as much as possible, the number of people that would need the service of doctors and nurses. 'To that extent, our focus is on preventive rather than curative," he said adding that government was also committed to improving the welfare of those taking care of the people's health.
He thanked the Joint Muslim Forum for the honour done to Asiwaju Tinubu, whom he referred to as 'My boss, my leader, teacher and a true Nigerian leader," saying the substance of the presentation anchored on his achievements in the area of education, job creation, poverty alleviation and security which represented the 10-point Agenda of the state government.
In his remarks earlier, chairman of the occasion, Justice Fatai Adeyinka (retd) commended the Joint Muslim Forum for giving honour to whom honour is due. The retired judge said it was heartwarming that several muslim organizations came together to form the Forum adding that it was a pointer to the Excellence of Lagos State.
He also commended the state government under the leadership of Governor Fashola recalling particularly the effort of his administration to stem crime in the state and his successful hosting of the F.A. Cup recently
The high point of the occasion was the presentation of the Award by Governor Fashola to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who was represented by Engineer Rauf Aregbesola.