Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, hasynoted that one of the best strategies to maintain the beauty, sustainability and functionality of education institutions is to make the host communities take up their ownership in the respective communities.

He said education remains the only a society can function properly.

He observed these during the inauguration of 14,000-member Community Based School Management Committee (CBSMC) in Osogbo on Thursday.

Members are to work across as Management Committee in Elementary Schools; Management Board in Middle Schools and Management Council in High Schools.

The committee members were drawn from the 30 local government councils and one area office.

Aregbesola said after providing all the things needed in the sector, the next in this the welding all these together into an organic whole, by putting in place an effective management system.

He stated that the best management approach is a community based one, adding that this is a global practice.

According to the Governor, those imbued with the right sense of ownership are in the best position to drive an organisation or possess it for it to be successful.

He said: “Education is critical to every society because it is an area where any society cannot afford to fail.

“First, it is through education that every society renews itself by socialising its new members into its past; for them to be able to properly grasp the present; and secure the future. It is through education that the intellect is cultivated, character is built and an individual becomes adjusted to society.

“Education is also the primary instrument of development. The knowledge that drives development is introduced to every pupil through systematised learning.

“While there have been geniuses and outstanding individuals who affected our world positively through creativity and innovation without acquiring formal education, the making of our world as it is today is the product of knowledge acquired though education in the sciences, technology, engineering, arts, entertainment and so on.”

Aregbesola said the trend in the world today is that education has been digitalised, knowledge-based and competitive, adding that one cannot but conclude that the future belongs to those who have very good education.

He noted that government is bringing in the community because it wants them to have ownership of the schools since the community is the stakeholder in education.

He stressed that failure of any school in moral, educational, physical standards is collective failure of the community.

He however warned the committee to see the task as a call to service and not a political patronage.

Earlier in her remarks, the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori, said education is the pivot of development and upon which a nation is built.

She said it is this education that forms the focal point of the Aregbesola administration in the last five years.

The Deputy Governor stated that government inaugurated the management committee so as to take management of schools and by extension education, to the grassroots level.

She said by the involvement of the communities hosting the schools, government thus demonstrated the fact that the communities are key stakeholders in development of education in the state.

In his opening speech, the Permanent Secretary of State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mr. Fatai Kolawole, said the community management committee was established in order to rejuvenate and reform the education at Elementary, Middle and High schools in the state.

Kolawole stated that the supervision of schools will engender feedback from all the communities playing host to the schools because of their involvement.

He noted that the composition of the management committee is very broad as it encompasses all stake holders including teachers, representatives of the traditional rulers, parent forum, women group, old students' association, community Development Association (CDA) pupils/students and artisans.

According to him, “This innovative move will assist government to quickly gather information on the goings-on in schools across the state.”

Responding on behalf of the inaugurated board, Pa Samuel Oladepo Omodunni from Olorunda Local Government, commended the government for the novelty in art of management introduced by Aregbesola.

He commended the government for the involvement of the community, promising: “The committee will work assiduously to achieve the purpose with which the government established the committee. We shall not disappoint you or shirk in our responsibilities towards developing our education sector.”

•Photo shows Governor Aregbesola.