Parents Protest Boarding Fees Increase from N35,000 to N100,000 in Lagos

By Ayodele Ifasakin 

Some parents of students of Oriwu Model College in Ikorodu on Sunday protested the sudden increase of boarding fees by the Lagos state government.

The parents who carried out the peaceful protest at the gate of the college demanded the immediate reversal of the boarding fees which was increased from N35,000 to N100,000.

Kazeem Oladuni, chairman, Parent Forum Association (PFA), Oriwu College, appealed to the state ministry of education to reverse the increment to enable their wards resume school.

“Our children were supposed to resume on Sept. 9; then we received a memo that one week has been added, which expired today, Sept.15.

“To our surprise, another memo came out on Sept. 13, indicating that the boarding fees have been increased from N35,000 to N100,000

“We held a meeting with Lagos State Coordination of PFA and resolved that the fees are outrageous for any parent at this time of hardship in the country,” he said.

Also, Adedoyin Badmus, who spoke on behalf of parents in the Igbogbo Area, Ikorodu, said education was supposed to be free.

Mr Badmus, however, said the government was making it difficult for the children of many average Nigerians to acquire education with the sudden and astronomical increase in boarding fees.

Similarly, another parent, Mary Enaayi, appealed to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to consider the plights of many parents who are petty traders and struggle to ensure that their children access quality education.

Ms Enaayi urged the state government to urgently reverse the fees to allow dividends of democracy to cut across all strata of society.

“I am appealing to LASG to consider that some parents are traders, but because they want their children to have quality education, that is why they registered them as boarders.

“With this outrageous amount, the careers of those wards will be shattered because their parents can not afford to pay the N100,000.

“Some have two or three children in the school, which means they have to withdraw due to the sudden increment,” she said.

The parents carried placards with inscriptions like; ‘No reduction, No resumption’, ‘We need free education’, ‘Our government is wicked’, ‘N35,000 to N100,000 is too outrageous’, among others.

(NAN)

Children's Day: LAWMA Boss Tasks Parents on Recycling Education for Kids

 AgegePulse Magazine

Children's Day: LAWMA Boss Tasks Parents on Recycling Education for Kids

As the world commemorates Children’s Day, Managing Director/CEO of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, has tasked parents on early teaching of waste sorting and recycling to their children and wards, to build a sustainable environment for the future.

He said this at the agency’s headquarters, Ijora-Olopa, as LAWMA celebrated with children, featuring a series of educational activities and games designed to engage children and raise awareness on environmental sustainability.

Gbadegesin highlighted the significance of instilling proper waste management habits in the younger generation, stressing that parents had an important role to play in educating their children about recycling and waste sorting, noting that early education on these topics was essential for fostering environmentally responsible citizens.

He said, "Teaching our children about recycling and proper waste management is required for the future of our environment. As parents, it is our responsibility to ensure that they understand the impact of their actions on the planet. By incorporating these lessons into their daily lives, we can nurture a generation that is conscious of their environmental footprint and committed to sustainable practices."

The LAWMA boss stated that the Authority’s commitment to environmental education extended beyond Children's Day, as the agency had been actively involved in numerous initiatives aimed at promoting waste management education in schools and communities across Lagos State, which included school outreach programs and community clean-up campaigns.

"As an organisation, LAWMA is dedicated to creating a cleaner and healthier Lagos. Our efforts in promoting waste management education are part of our broader mission to foster a culture of environmental responsibility. We believe that by educating our children, we are laying the foundation for a greener future", he noted.

In her goodwill message, Director of Environmental Education Unit, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Mrs. Monsurat Banire, represented by Mrs Olufunke Olaleye, commended the Authority for investing in children, noting that children were the greatest investment.

She said: "When we involve children in anything we do, we are assured of a better and sustainable future.  The Ministry of Environment knows the value of environmental education and that is why we have the unit to raise you all as environmental ambassadors, who will preserve our planet. I celebrate you all and I wish you a wonderful celebration ".

Also speaking, the head of LAWMA Academy Training and Development, Mrs. Bola Adewumi, noted that the Authority was committed to raising children to become ambassadors of sustainable environmental practices, urging the children to maintain a positive attitude to the environment, to make it people-friendly.

Other LAWMA Management staff who gave their good will messages were: Director, Public Affairs, Mrs. Kadiri Folashade;  Deputy Director, Special Duties, Mr. Oluwakemi Sulaimon; Director of Admin and HR, Ms. Ranti Dosunmu; Deputy Director, Commercial Services, Mrs. Abimbola Opayemi; Deputy Director Medical Services, Health and Safety, Dr. Modupe Okoh; Deputy Director , Waste Management Research, Policy and Development, Dr. Essien Nsuabia; Deputy Director, Circular Economy, Mrs. Jirinsola Okubanjo; Head Customer Care and Corporate Engagement Unit, Mrs. Aramide Olaniyan, among others

For more information about LAWMA's initiatives and how to support efforts to maintain a clean environment, please visit www.lawma.gov.ng or call our toll-free numbers: 080000LAWMA (08000052962), 07080601020 and 617.

HOW WE PLAN TO DECIMATE OUT-OF-SCHOOL PUPILS IN AGEGE - Majiyagbe

Although, statistics have shown that the number of pupils enrollment into Agege primary schools has drastically increased since the square peg for the job was placed in the square hole with the appointment of Hon. Olalekan Olatunde Majiyagbe as the Executive Secretary of Agege Local Government Education Authority, LGEA, the need to further decimate the number of out-of-school children that litter the nooks and crannies of Agege remains on the front burner for him.

In a chat with Agegepulse Magazine, the brilliant dude spoke on the journey so far, the present state of the LGEA and plans to make primary education more interesting and appealing for every child in Agege. Excerpt:

“As a trained psychologist and counselor, I’ve been able to transform and impact lives through counseling. I am one of the team that produced the first gifted and talented child in Lagos state from Yewa Pry School, Agege. The survival of every man is in his brain; your brain generates solutions depending on how you apply it to issues. 

For someone to succeed in life he/she must identify his/her inner treasury. I became a consultant to World Bank on community issues around age 27, which was as a result of the cognitive academic system operating during our time. Our parents were ready to give physical support and assistance to us unlike now that parents are using money to buy their primary roles for their children. It is high time parents worked with teachers to build a better future for our pupils.

“In Agege, we have 50 Pry Schools and 2 special schools for children with special needs. Since I came in, we have been able to increase staff welfare, build more structures, organize periodic staff training for academic improvement and co-curricular activities. It is our believe that out of school children are products of unfavourable economy situations, what we are doing is to partner with market leaders to fish them out, though they are not too many, people use them as maids and as hawkers. We are working to have stakeholders meeting with CDAs and other stakeholders in order to develop a working paper and statistic on them. Through this, we'll proffer solution to that. Till date we have experience massive enrolment into our primary schools because parents appreciate government efforts to make learning accessible and appealing to pupils.

On his proposed 30days traditional dancing steps to mark his 10years investiture as the Asiwaju of Oko Oba Land, Majiyagbe said; "that is a new dimension to publicity, we want to create an euphoria to sensitize people that Asiwaju will soon celebrate 10th year anniversary. And that dancing step is not a regulated approach, I may not be in royal regalia, I can be at a point they will sing and dance and I will inform them to get ready for Asiwaju day. When the day gets closer, there will be royal movement on horse or open roof with guards and they will sing and dance at almost every point to dole out gifts to children all around. And when it gets to the D-day which is June 2017, it will be only church service and reception. I will also use the day to mark my 54th birthday.

On politics, he said; I've a commitment and vision to emerge Agege LG chairman. It's an age long dream because I've the wherewithal to bring succor to my people. We have tailor made plans to make Agege people happy. We’ve a strategy to run a successful Local Government system called Agege Model. I assure you that this model will be emulated by other LGAs in the long run".

Watch out for the full interview in the next edition of AgegePulse Magazine.