Expert Urges Private Sector Investment in Education

To complement government efforts in funding education, Tutor General/ Permanent Secretary, Education District 111 in Lagos State, Idowu Oyetola, has urged corporate organisations to support the sector through their corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects.

Oyetola, who spoke at the inauguration of refurbished science laboratories of Dolphin Senior High School, by Ernst Young (EY), described education as an investment, which the government cannot fund alone.

Specifically, she said the refurbished laboratories, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, would enhance learning of the subjects.

She said: “It is not good to teach abstractly. Our students will be able to carry out lots of experiments, and there is a saying that what I see, I remember.  You can never forget what you participate in because you are part of the process.”

On her part, Senior Talent Development and Management Specialist at EY, Ijeoma Ijere said the organisation is committed to building a better working world, not just for itself, but communities and society at large.

She said one of the key things EY looks out for is education. “We work with public schools and look for where there are gaps.  We reached out to Education District 111 and told them what we wanted to do. Before we settled for Dolphin Senior High School, they had given us three schools.

This is not the first time, we have been refurbishing laboratories and equipping them since 2014.

Director and Principal, Dolphin Senior High School, Akinlabi Taiwo commended the organisation for the gesture, saying with its intervention, the students would do better in sciences.

He said the laboratories would make the teaching and learning environment more conducive, entertaining and motivating. “We have qualified Biology, Physics and Chemistry teachers, who would make good use of the laboratories.”

EY provides audit, consulting, tax, business risk, technology and security risk services, as well as human capital services worldwide.

Similarly, the Chief Operating Officer of EY, West Africa, Mr Oluwabusiayo Layade, led the team to the Boys Senior Academy, Sura, where they facilitated presentations on personal hygiene and environmental cleanliness.

The principal, Mr Ogunyemi, staff and students expressed gratitude to the organisation for its support towards the school.

July 13, 2023