By Niyi Akande
As primary and secondary schools in Osun state prepare to resume on Monday, September 16, House of Representatives candidate of New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, for Ede/Egbedore/Ejigbo Federal Constituency in the 2023 elections, Pharmacist Muslihudeen Adekilekun, has advocated for 4 days of school amid the economic challenges occasioned by the recent hike in fuel prices.
According to him, this will go a long way in alleviating the suffering caused by the terrible economic situations precipitated by the “incompetent” All Progressives Congress, APC-led federal government.
He spoke at the Annual Education summit organised by Premier College of Education, Awo, Egbedore local government area of Osun State.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) recently adjusted petrol pump price from about 617 naira to 897 naira per litre, though many independent retail stations sell at N997, N1,018, and N1,300 per litre depending on location across the country.
While commenting on the situation, Adekilekun, a United Kingdom-based pharmacist, called on Governor Ademola Adeleke to, as a matter of urgency, reduce school days from the current 5 to 4 days per week.
He noted that the rice palliative being disturbed will not reach many families, but decreasing school days will ease the anguish of the general populace.
“where the cost of fuel or cost of transportation to school is higher than school fees and the cost of books, the responsible government must reduce the school days … we did this during the Covid pandemic, why not now in a poverty pandemic”, the sustainability expert stated.
Pharmacist Adekilekun also praised the Osun State Government for the ongoing teachers’ recruitment exercise, which is long overdue, and eulogised the Ministry of Education for allowing merit to be topmost, unlike the past government that employed unqualified party members as teachers.
READ ALSO
•Gov Adeleke Commends Odumuyiwas for Rendering Humanitarian Services
•Osun NNPP boss, Odeyemi mourns mother of APC chairman
Parents at the Education summit threw their weight behind the call for a reduction in school days, saying it will help lighten their predicament as they are already dealing with the high cost of food items, school supplies, and fees.
