Abiodun signs Education, Skills Trust Fund Bill into law

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, recently signed the State Education and Skills Trust Fund Bill into law, creating a framework for sustainable funding and improved management of the state's education and skills development sectors. The Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, expressed optimism that the full implementation of the law would strengthen Ogun's education sector and maintain its position as a leading education destination in Nigeria.

The legislation aims to make education more meaningful, qualitative, and constructive, following extensive consultations with the public and stakeholders. The Trust Fund will cover both formal and informal education, with a focus on skills acquisition and vocational development. It will serve as an additional funding source beyond the normal budgetary allocation, supporting areas such as school infrastructure, bursaries, teacher support, and maintenance.

The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, revealed that the Trust Fund would facilitate the integration of informal education into the state's education system through the re-engineered apprenticeship model. Over 9,000 youths have already been trained in various vocations under the state's skills-development initiatives.