By Richard Akintade, Osogbo
Wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu yesterday lamented the rising cases of female students in public and private schools abandoning their academics due to one problem or the other.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu made this known at a ceremony for the construction of an Alternative High School for Girls in Osun State.
According to her, the ceremony marks the beginning of an opportunity for a new chapter and chance of a promising future for the exceptional young girls and women who would walk through the doors of this very school.
The wife of the President said, she introduced the idea for the establishment of an Alternative High School for Girls, a vision which was accepted and utilised by the Lagos State Ministry of Education in 2007 when her husband was the Governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 saying this particular school still runs till date.
She said, “my motivation as an educationist and lifelong teacher stemmed from the desire to see young girls and women who dropped out of school due to unplanned pregnancies, cultural barriers, economic or financial reasons and many more, have a second chance to complete high school, acquire higher education and valuable life skills, to enable them reach their full potential in life.”
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, values education and has introduced the National Student Loan Scheme which is now in effect for our youth to have unhindered access to education, knowing that education is the bedrock of national development and the cornerstone upon which dreams are built, skills acquired and aspirations generally realized.
“In a world where every girl deserves the opportunity to thrive and reach her fullest potential, it is a sad thing to witness the barriers that stand in the way of their education. No doubt, without education, girls would lack necessary skills to support themselves and access information to make informed decisions about their health and future.
“The alarming rate of school dropouts among girls is a stark reminder of the need for alternative solutions in their educational pursuits.
“Let me also reiterate that Osun State was chosen as the location for this school through a transparent and unbiased raffle draw process at a strategic meeting with the State First Ladies. So, be rest assured that, the sitting of this school here in Osogbo, emanated from a fair process and it is a divinely guided one”, she added.
