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"Teach Your Children The Virtues Of Hardwork", Fashola Enjoins Parents
• As curtain falls on L.E.A.R.N. 2012 Summer School

Sep 18, 2012 - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Tuesday enjoined parents in the State to teach their children and wards the virtues of hard work insisting that it is the only way to success in life.

Governor Fashola, who spoke at the closing ceremony of this year's Summer School of the Lagos Empowerment And Resource Network (L.E.A.R.N.) at the multi-purpose Blue Roof Events Centre, LTV Grounds, Agidingbi, said all the reforms in education being embarked upon by the State Government would come to naught if the children did not imbibe the virtues of hard work.

"As we reform our education system, parents must lead their children to learn the virtues of hard work. It is the only road to success. There is no short cut to success", the Governor said pointing out that hard work also enhances the confidence and self esteem of the children to aim to higher heights in life.

Governor Fashola said the popular saying that the standard of education has fallen only means that certain values that were embedded in our education in the past have been eroded adding, "It means we must go back to those values which made our education system in the past acceptable internationally".

"In the past, the West African School Certificate was acceptable as of very high standard and value all over the world and you did not need to go Overseas to take the General Certificate of Education before gaining admission into a university or any higher education institution", the Governor said adding that if today the certificate was no longer acceptable, "then we must go back to the basics".

The Governor said in order to restore the lost values in the education system, his administration from inception embarked on massive infrastructural renewal and reforms in education pointing out that the idea was to restore all those values that made our education system of high quality.

Governor Fashola also enjoined the children to be focused and ready to learn through hard work and dedication to their studies adding that infrastructure and uniforms do not depict the value of a student but what the student has learnt through hard work.

Thanking the First Lady and initiator of the L.E.A.R.N. Project, Dame Emmanuella Abimbola Fashola, for her dedication to the project in the last five years, the Governor noted that through her efforts, the children have gained self confidence and imbibed the virtues of leadership and hard work with which they could face the challenges of the future.

In her remarks as Special Guest of Honour at the occasion, the Deputy Governor, Hon. (Mrs.) Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said the opportunities being made available to the students through project L.E.A.R.N was such that would lead them to expected goal of being future leaders of the country.

"What you need to do now is to be focused and rededicate yourselves to hard work and learning of skills" the Deputy Governor said pointing out that by learning skills, the children were preparing themselves for not only self-employment but also to be employers of labour after their school career.

The Deputy Governor charged the students to adopt at least 10 children of school age in their neighbourhood who are not going to school at the moment and persuade them to enroll in schools advising that if they encounter any difficulty in their attempt they should report to the Government.

Pointing out that education in Lagos State is free and that Government has made it attractive through the introduction of extra-curricular programmes that are aimed at imbibing the virtues of leadership and hard work, the Deputy Governor declared, "Gone are the days when people run after white collar jobs. There is no job now; you just have to be creative".

She also thanked the First Lady for the L.E.A.R.N. initiative noting that the opportunity being provided by the project would go a long way to empower the children in the State to be able to stand on their own in future.

Adefulire also commended Governor Fashola for his support and dedication to the welfare and education of children in the State adding that since the inception of the present administration in 2007, the Governor has changed the face of the schools in the State.

Recalling that two weeks ago, the Governor was enquiring after the results the State's candidates in the 2011/2012 West African Examination Council examination, the Deputy Governor told the children, "This is because he is interested and is following up on your progress in school".

The Deputy Governor also thanked the sponsors and facilitators of the L.E.A.R.N programmes and urged other individuals, private and public organisations to come forward to show interest in the future of the children by contributing to the sponsorship of the various educational programmes of the Network.

Earlier in her welcome address, the First Lady and initiator of the project, Mrs. Fashola, recalled that when the project was initiated five years ago, the objective was to engage the students positively during the long summer vacation adding that the idea was "to, first and foremost, make them responsible and secondly keep them safe and off the streets".

"To the glory of God, today we are proud and humbled that we have touched the lives of over 20,000 children positively" the First Lady said adding that this year's programme commenced on August 6, 2012, with a total of 3, 500 students in seven centres across the State namely, Agidingbi, Ketu, Ibeji-Lekki, Mushin, Surulere, Egbeda and Ojo.

The students, according to her, were tutored in core subjects in Education such as Mathematics, English Language, Moral and Civil Education, Entrepreneurial Studies, Leadership, Transport and Safety Education, Security Education and Computer Studies, and in Vocational/Skill Acquisition such as, Barbing, Hairdressing, Tailoring, Gele and Make-up, Catering, Bead-making, Photography, Hat making and Event decoration.

The programme, the First Lady said, also included Recreational activities such as Scrabble, Monopoly, Chess and Football adding that a major highlight of the programme was the introduction of Entrepreneurial Studies and Transport and Safety Education.

"The inclusion of these new subjects was informed by the current economic disposition in our nation which requires a change of mindset among our youths from being job seekers to job creators as well as the need to imbibe a new culture of general security and safety on our roads", the First Lady said.

She thanked all the sponsors, partners and friends of L.E.A.R.N. including the immediate past and the incumbent Deputy Governors of the State, Messrs. Caverton Helicopters, LASACO Assurance Plc, Classic Breweries Nigeria Ltd., Nigerian Bottling Company Plc, Indomie Noodles, LAWMA, the State Ministry of Education and numerous others, who, according to her, have helped to take the Network to the present enviable heights.

Thanking the children for their cooperation during the programme and their parents for the confidence they showed in entrusting their children to the care of the programme facilitators for seven weeks, Dame Fashola prayed, "That we will reap the fruits of our labour".

Highlights of the event included a documentary titled, "The Journey So Far", various presentations by students on the skills their groups were engaged in during the programme. The students who made presentations on behalf of their groups received skill and vocational kits while the sum of N5,000 would be deposited in an account in the name of each beneficiary. Also for those who made presentations in non-skill areas, the sum of N10,000 would be deposited in an account on their behalf, the First Lady said.