Education Policy Review Roundtable Summit set up by Osun State Government to examine some policies introduced into the education sector by the previous administration in the state had recommended abolition of middle schools.

The panel led by the pioneer Registrar, National Business and Technical Education Board, Prof. Olu Aina, also recommended the reversal of a single uniform policy.

Middle schools which have pupils in primary 5 and 6 alongside students in Junior Secondary School 1 to 3 in the same school were introduced by the immediate past administration.

However, while presenting the report of the summit to the Governor on Monday, Prof Aina, explained that the panel had painstakingly reviewed and addressed all education-related issues with a view to strengthening the delivery of quality and affordable education in response to the wishes and yearnings of the people of the state.

He said the panel proposed 11 recommendations within the context of the national education policy, saying the merging of Primary 5 and 6, for reason of school feeding initiative, violated the 6-3-3-4 structure.

He added that the 4-5-3-4 and the Middle School policy was unknown to the National Policy on Education.

Aina said while the panel advised that Opon imo should be retained with some medications, he said other issues X-rayed included; policy of single school uniform, mixing male and female pupils in schools established for single-sex students and desirability of retaining the posts of Head Masters General and Tutors General in the rank of Permanent Secretary among others.

Responding, Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, expressed the resolve to reposition education in the state.

He added that the need to review the education policy was informed by the people’s demand, saying the government would ensure full implementation of whatever that will improve the lots of the people and protect the future of its children.

“It was our desire to hearken to the yearnings and aspirations of the citizenry that necessitated this review in the first instance.

“As a government, our policies and programs are driven by citizens’ needs. These needs which were further validated by the United Kingdom Department for International Development’s (DFID)- funded Citizens Needs Assessment exercise in Osun, were harvested during the Thank You Tour/Town Hall Meetings, where the people told us in plain language that they wanted some aspects of our educational policies removed, adjusted or improved upon.

“That was what led to the Policy Review Roundtable Summit, the report of which we are receiving today. We are prepared to do what will improve the lots of our people and protect the future of our children.

“As a leader, therefore, I am conscious of the need to be just and fair to all manner of people regardless of their leanings in the discharge of my duties. This I will always uphold.

“Rest assured that your efforts will not be in vain. We will be swift and proactive in debating it at our level with a view to implementing the recommendations without any further delay”, Oyetola concluded.