The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has revealed plans by his administration to spend N2 billion in procuring furniture for primary schools across the state.
The governor said this during an inspection of remodelling work at the Government Science and Technical College (GSTC), formerly known as the Benin Technical College, in Benin City.
During the visit, Obaseki inspected furniture produced by students of the vocational arm of GSTC, noting that the state government intends to provide furniture for about 150,000 pupils in public primary schools across the state.
He said that based on the quality of furniture made by the GSTC students, the school would make a substantial share of furniture for use in schools in the state.
“One of the reasons I came here was to see the quality of work the students are doing and their capacity to produce. What I see here is much better than what we are importing from China. If substantial part of the furniture is done by this school, much revenue would accrue to the school.”
Obaseki said his administration was looking at redesigning the structures in primary schools to allow for better ventilation and cooling system, adding, “One of the challenges we have in our schools is heat. So, if we are able to work with the contractor handling the insulator roofing system in GSTC, we can redesign our primary schools such that there is enough natural cooling and ventilation in our schools.”
The governor, who interacted with graduates of the College undergoing practical training at the construction site in the college, expressed satisfaction with the progress of work.
According to him, the state government is working with the World Bank and Federal Ministry of Education to access a facility that would be used to promote technical education in the state.
He noted that the facility which is expected to be available by June this year, would be used to replicate the structures being constructed at the GSTC in Edo Central and Edo North senatorial districts.