Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, said on Saturday that the introduction of extra-curricular activities in schools would help uplift the standard of education.
Aregbesola stated this in Osogbo at the middle school calisthenics competition organised to mark his seventh-year anniversary as governor.
“Extra-curricular activities in schools to include calisthenics will help bring discipline, unity of purpose and sense of responsibility among students,’’ he said.
He added that calisthenics were first introduced in Osun in 2012 to improve character and competency in the education sector.
He, however, said that the exercises were scrapped for political reasons.
“We introduced calisthenics display sometime in Oct. 2012 in order to raise educational consciousness in our students.
“It was misrepresented by some political gladiators for a private security outfits due to the exercises involved.
“We thank God it was later reintroduced and has shown the uniqueness of this present administration which will come to an end in the next 357 days,’’ Aregbesola said.
The governor thanked the organisers of the calisthenics competition for making the event a success.
Aregbesola praised the winner of the competition and presented a cash prize of N2 million to him.
The first and second runners up went home with cash prize of N1 million and N750, 000 respectively.
The final of the calisthenics competition witnessed three participants from Osun East, Osun West, and Osun Central senatorial districts of the state.
21 middle schools in the nine constituencies in the state competed in the event.
The governor said that the cash awards should be used to develop sport facilities in schools in the senatorial districts.
In his remarks, Mr Wasiu Omotunde-Young, the Commissioner for Education, expressed appreciation to the organisers of the event, the coaches, parents, and children for making the event successful.
Young urged the people of the state to continue to support the governor in his efforts to lay a solid foundation for the education of children in Osun. (NAN)
