Ondo state free school bus scheme (TOPGOV)
Ondo State government has said its huge investment in education is geared towards matching the high-growth economies of the Asian Tigers, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan.
The State Commissioner for Information,Kayode Akinmade, on Tuesday told journalists at a briefing on the plan to mark the third anniversary of the Ondo State free bus ride scheme for pupils that the investments in education is in line with the state's position as Nigeria's "intellectual engine room."
"The major asset of Ondo State is education," Akinmade was quoted as saying.
"We pride ourselves as the intellectual engine room of the country.
Akinmade reiterated the government's commitment to promoting the sector.
"For us, education is the key to liberate us from poverty and ignorance.
Speaking about the transport scheme, the Commissioner said the initiative has helped combat juvenile crime and saved parents as lot of money that would have otherwise been spent on conveying students to school.
The average family in the state has been saving about N500 daily on the transportation of their wards to and from school as a result of the ingenuity of Governor Olusegun Mimiko to introduce the scheme," he said.
"The free bus scheme is not discriminatory as it accommodates both the children of the elite and other citizens in private and public schools in the state.
"The focus of the government is to improve on the life of the people and the free school shuttle bus scheme has been able to achieve this goal."
Also speaking at the briefing, the state Commissioner for Education, Kunle Adejuyigbe, said the transport scheme has led to higher enrolment figures in schools.
