The governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, has stated his administration has earmarked over N1bn for the renovation and supply of furniture and education materials across all secondary schools in the state.
The governor, who reiterated the determination of his administration to invest massively in the educational sector, stated.1,300 teachers would soon be employed for the primary schools in the state.
Ambode, who spoke in Ilara-Epe on Friday while inaugurating Augustine University, a private university, owned by the Catholic Church, also assured the people of the plans of his administration to resolve the lingering crisis in the Lagos State University.
As stated by him, the need to resolve the crisis in the institution prompted the inauguration of new Governing Councils for the institution and other tertiary institutions in the state.
Appreciating the Catholic Church for the project, Ambode stated the best way to prepare for change, whether positive or negative, was to anticipate and manage it.
He added, “From my exposure, I have come to the conclusion that there is no greater form of preparation to manage change than through education.
“There is no greater investment that the individual parent can make than investment in education of the highest possible quality.”
Considering the population of Lagos State, which is about 20 million, 60 per cent of which are people below 35 years of age, the state was seriously in a need for institutions of higher learning, the governor noted.
He stated the establishment of Augustine University, which brings the number of privately-owned universities in the state to four and six universities in all, was a welcome development.
In his pre-inaugural briefing, Archbishop of Lagos Catholic Archdiocese, His Eminence, Adewale Martins, stated the idea to establish the university was muted seven years ago with the laudable goal of taking Catholic education to the next level in Nigeria.
He thanked the Lagos State Government for providing the institution with necessary documents needed for the approval of licence by the National Universities Commission.