Ogudu Senior Grammar School has won the maiden edition of the OKLA Inter School Debate competition with the theme, “Government Should Spend More Money on Security than Education” after defeating six other schools.
Anthony Village High School emerged as the first runner-up, Mende Senior High School second runner-up respectively.
The programme was held at Immaculate high school on February 16, 2021.
The first position will enjoy the privilege to be a one-day Kosofe Constituency 1 lawmaker, cash prize gift ranging from N250,000, N150,000 and N100,000 respectively.
The organizer, Honourable Sanni Ganiyu Okanlawon representing Kosofe Constituency 1, who doubles as the Chairman, House Committee on Education (Ministry & Agencies) noted that the event is borne out of his love for educational growth.
“The idea is to develop our students to boost their creative ability; education does not have to stop within the four walls of the school, even outside the school you learn a lot of things, no matter how old you are you must continue to learn.
“I have a feeling that we must continue to groom and nurture our younger ones, and government cannot do it alone.
“Education is in the front burner to this government, little wonder the education ministry shared the second position in the budget ladder in Lagos state that is to show to you that government is taking Education very seriously.
“There are lots of improvements, gone are the days we say we don’t have enough teachers in the schools, we have teachers and are deploying them into the schools. As they retire we employ new ones, we have benches, desk, infrastructure abounds. Now we have good learning environment.
“Government cannot do it all that is why we are supporting, by carrying out some intervention programmes many done in time past, this particular one is to improve the communication skills of our students, building self-confidence in them preparing them for this 21st century model of learning that is why we have this debate competition amongst our students.
“All geared towards providing qualitative education. I urge the students to continue being serious with their studies and jettison all forms of vices and criminalizes in order for them to be great in life.” Said Okanlawon.
The Tutor General and Permanent Secretary (TG/PS), Education District II, Mrs. Adekanye Amudat Anike who also made separate gift presentations to the schools for making her proud, having marshaled their points on the topic of debate so well, basked in the euphoria of so many wins in her kitty within the district. She described the organizer of the competition, Hon Okanlawon as eloquent, dynamic, pragmatic, visionary, humble and a man who has special vision for education.
Mrs. Abiola Seriki-Ayeni, the Director General, Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA) Lagos State, described lawmaker initiative as laudable feats of the lawmaker in his constituency and across the state, she noted that he has always being putting state officials in the education sector on their toes ever since he assumed the chairmanship of the education committee in the house and doing his best for the children.
The elated winner of the debate Ogudu Senior Grammar School, Master Christopher Precious while addressing the newsmen said, “I return all glory to God for making me the winner of this debate competition, I didn’t see it coming.
Thanks to the organizers of this kind of programme it equips students to know their weak points and strength, this has brought me out as a light, this would have died in me.
“I will advise the government to do more of this kind of programme because not all the student will be good in debate, some might find their voice in quiz, so doing more of these activities will bring out the eagles in the students, because some people will die with the eagle in them not knowing they have it.
“Today I know what I am carrying owing to this programme, I say a big thank you to the organizers. I feel so excited having emerged a day lawmaker, I never expected it.
