The Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Ondo State has mocked Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for chosen to inaugurate children’s parliament while students are learning in dilapidated school buildings and dirty environments across the state.
PDP in a statement on Wednesday in Akure by its Director of Media and Publicity, Leye Igbabo, described Aiyedatiwa’s action as hypocrisy and window-dressing.
The statement read: “The Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Ondo State Chapter is amused by the level of hypocrisy being exhibited by the Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his administration as they chose to inaugurate children’s parliament while the same pupils are learning in dilapidated school buildings and dirty environments.
“We consider this action window-dressing when weightier matters of importance are left in pursuit of a superficial and artificial program that is only beneficial to the masterminds of such a meretricious and mundane program which is only intended to score a very cheap political point.
“Our party believes that a conducive learning environment should be the focal point of any administration that values education as a weapon of liberation from ignorance, poverty, and disease.
“The schools in which these children undergo their studies are an eyesore. The teachers are grossly insufficient, thereby prompting well-meaning and public-spirited citizens to personally recruit teachers to patch up the obvious personnel deficits while the government itself shirks and shies away from its constitutionally mandated duties.
“Unfortunately, the relief expected from the recent recruitment of teachers after many years of procrastination and dilly-dallying has again been marred and dashed by terrible and heartless employment racketeering where meritocracy has been largely sacrificed on the altar of mediocrity, propelled by the pecuniary interest of a few opportunists. Under this arrangement, the future of the pupils is predictable.
“Invariably, a leader whose own educational pursuit was suspicious, who derived pleasure in procuring a doctorate degree without burning the midnight oils, and yet found his way to the leadership stage can never believe that offering or providing an enabling environment for learning and properly educating the future leaders has anything or any role to play in shaping their future and positioning them for the leadership tasks ahead. This should certainly worry the good people of Ondo state whose biggest investment is empowerment through education.
“Our Party admonishes the Governor against toying with the future of the State which the children represent and shows the expected seriousness needed in governance, especially in the education sector which remains the biggest industry and hope of the Sunshine State.
“We call on the Governor to cancel the ridiculous recruitment exercise and immediately commence a transparent recruitment process that will give birth to qualified teachers and equally ensure that all dilapidated school buildings, old lockers, obsolete or non-existent ICT centers are given the best attention to rescue the future of the children from the bleak and gloomy conditions which the current agenda of the state government seeks to unleash.”
