The administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke in Osun State has pushed back against allegations made by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) regarding the condition of public schools in the state. The state government insists that its education sector is not in decline, countering accusations of decaying infrastructure and insufficient teaching staff.
Speaking at a training session for timetable officers in Osogbo, Temitope Mustapha, Chairman of the Osun State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), described the APC’s assertions as baseless. He reaffirmed that the current government has placed education at the forefront of its agenda, ensuring that no school is left behind in development initiatives.
Mustapha highlighted that both urban and rural institutions are benefiting from ongoing projects, directly refuting claims that some schools face neglect. He pointed to impressive student performances in national exams like NECO and WASSCE as evidence of the system’s strength, noting that Osun has climbed from 30th to 7th place in national academic rankings.
The TESCOM chairman dismissed rumors of school closures in rural areas, labeling such narratives as fabrications spread by individuals opposed to progress. He assured that under this leadership, no school will be shut down, and new teachers have been deployed to underserved regions to address staffing needs.
Addressing the role of timetable officers, Mustapha urged them to maintain high professional standards, emphasizing that all teachers except principals and vice principals must complete 24 teaching periods weekly. His comments came in response to earlier criticisms from Wole Oke, Director-General of the APC campaign committee, who accused the state of misusing resources and claimed that public schools lack buildings and teachers, leading to declining enrollment.