Govt must support private school investors – Olashore

The Chairman, Board of Directors, Olashore International School, Iloko-Ijesa, Osun State, Abimbola Olashore, has urged the Federal Government to support individuals who invest in education.



He explained that such assistance would make private investors to be more committed to the development of the education sector in the country.



Olashore stated this at a briefing ahead of the school's 20th anniversary in Lagos.



He said, "School fees can hardly maintain or build a school. We need thousands of universities to cope with the current admission population challenges.



"The government should chose one area and focus on it. If it is primary education, the government should focus on it and maybe allow private sectors to handle other levels. We need to build affordable schools but the government in most cases is not supportive.



"Public sectors still look at private investors as their enemies and because of that we could not intervene in public schools because the government sometimes feels you are taking over their duty.



"There is the need to further liberalise education in the country for more investors to come into the sector."



The school, which he said made some achievements in spite of challenges, had in the last 20 years over 1,300 students.Some of the graduands, he said, were beginning to play leading roles in industry and business across the world.



The school principal, Mr. Derrick Smith, said the institution was synonymous with scholarship and excellence.