Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, on Friday in Lagos, said education remained the most veritable tool for wealth creation.

Sanwo-Olu said this while inaugurating 14 classrooms at the UBE Primary School and Community Junior Academy, Odo-Ayandolu, Ikorodu Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a block of six classrooms was rehabilitated in the primary school and another block of eight classrooms in the secondary school respectively.

Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure, Mrs Aramide Adeyoye, said the huge investment in infrastructure and current technological trends had put students and pupils in the state’s public schools in the lead of academic excellence in Lagos and Nigeria.

He noted that the performance of students had improved in local, national, and international examinations and competitions, as well as in morals, etiquette and confidence in public speaking.

“Education is still the most potent tool of empowerment and one of the most tested ways to close the gap between poverty and wealth,” he said.

The governor added that public schools in the state had consistently emerged the overall best at the international Robotics Competitions, since 2015 and had continually represented Nigeria.

He listed various local, national, and international competitions where pupils and students from Lagos public schools had retained leading positions, as confirmation of the improvement in the quality and standard of education.

Sanwo-Olu then commended the hardwork and commitment of the competent teachers who in addition to infrastructure, gave the success stories.

He also commended the Ministry of Education, the Universal Basic Education Board, and other agencies of the state, for their support toward the actualisation of the vision of the government for the education sector.

Sanwo-Olu advised children to continue to study hard to justify the government’s investment in their education while assuring parents of continued quality education delivery.

He said the projects would further improve the learning and teaching environment in public schools.

According to him, the projects will further drive the “Education and Technology” pillar of the state’s THEMES Agenda of his administration.

He said the government had begun an aggressive education infrastructure regeneration and renewal, with modern equipment and security across the state and had inaugurated projects in 20 LGAs.

“We have so far completed over 1,097 projects covering 970 schools across the state.

“In the last two years, our government has ensured the prompt construction and rehabilitation of 322 dilapidated public schools, while 87,000 dual composite units of furniture were supplied to primary and secondary schools across the state,” he said.

Mr Felix Adeyemi, who represented the Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folashade Adefisayo, in his welcome address, lauded the state government for its investment in modern education.

According to her, the governor has also touched virtually all the value chains of education in the state.

Mr Moshood Adeyemi, Principal of the Community Junior Academy, Odo-Ayandolu, commended the state government but appealed for a perimeter fence to make the environment safer.

Also speaking, Mrs Kehinde Adeleka, Headmistress of the primary section, requested additional classrooms to cater to the growth of the population of the school.

Compassion David, a Junior Secondary (JS3) student, also thanked the government for what he described as “a superb performance” in renovating the schools.

Clement Samuel, a pupil of the renovated primary school, prayed for God’s blessings on the governor and his entire team.

Oba Ganiu Asunmo, the traditional ruler of the area, who was represented by High Chief Onabanjo Olisa, also lauded the state government for the intervention.

He, however, appealed for more of such interventions in other schools in the area with infrastructure that was already overstretched.