Wale Igbintade
The Special Committee on Rehabilitation of Public Schools (SCRPS) in Lagos has embarked on renovation of Tolu School complex in Ajegunle-Ajeromi Local Council to address the insecurity and infrastructure deficit at the institution.
The 43 years old complex established by the Lateef Jakande administration has been in a state of disrepair, owing to over population and neglect.
Addressing the media, SCRPS Chairman, Hakeem Smith, said the intervention would restore infrastructure deficiency in the complex and make it world-class.
According to him, during several reconnaissance and assessment visits, officials discovered issues of flooding within the entire complex, security challenge in form of break-ins, and high student-classroom ratio.
To make Tolu complex a state-of-the-art education city, he said SCRPS will construct 13 additional 15/18 classroom blocks; renovate dilapidated blocks, construct a perimeter fence and gate houses, and new inner roads and drainages.
Smith said the government will also rehabilitate existing access roads, build a health centre, fire service station, and multi-purpose sports complex.
He stated that sometime in 2022, following the instructions of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, a comprehensive assessment was carried out, which revealed the state of disrepair of most of the school blocks and the classroom inadequacy in the complex.
He said for efficient management, supervision and to ensure timely delivery, the project was divided into six lots to make it easier to get project done being that most schools within the complex will be in session as at the time work starts
Smith further disclosed that arrangements have been made to assuage issues where students would need to be temporarily relocated within the school complex.
He said: “Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government with a growing population of 1,077,735 (Est. 2020) inhabitants, with 33.8 per cent aged 0-14 years, we believe it is imperative for the Sanwo-Olu-led administration to undertake this ambitious regeneration of the school complex, as it will offer succor to the educational needs of the locality.
“The regeneration of Tolu complex will serve as a catalyst for growth of more commercial entities like SMEs, Food Vendors, Bookshops, Mini Shuttles and other school needs vendors in the locality. This will in turn help the state in generating more IGR.
“Undertaking this ambitious project in Ajeromi-Ifelodun LGA will amount to strategic political gains for this administration. It will also help to sustain and improve electoral performance in the locality dominated by the Non-Yoruba speaking voting population, from 43.5 per cent (2015) to 74.9 per cent (2019).
“We believe that a holistic regeneration of the Tolu complex will help build capacity in the area of science, technology, sports and academics due to the state-of-the-art structures and facilities that will be situated in that area. It would be an all-in education and recreation school community for all.”
Highlighting achievements of the committee, Smith said about 1,593 bed hostels have been provided in various schools in the state, while over 200,000-unit dual composite furniture were also provided including principal and teachers’ furniture.
He explained that with education and technology ranking uppermost in the Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s-led administration, the government swiftly began the implementation of its plan to improve the quality of education in the state.
