Abiodun sets up visitation panel on TASCE Crisis

Gov Dapo Abiodun 

Sequel to the ongoing crisis at Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE), Omu-Ijebu, which has brought academic activities to a standstill, the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has set up a Visitation Panel to conduct a holistic review of the current status of the institution and recommend the way forward to restore it's lost glory.

Prof  Kamaldeen Balogun of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, will head the panel.

Other members of the panel are: Prof. John Olusegun Yetongo Aihonsu, an Agricultural Economist, Mr Julius Adeyemi, the current President of TASCE Alumni Association, Mr. Joseph O. Onabanjo, retired Permanent Secretary and current teacher at Crawford University, Igbesa, Dr Dapo Odukoya, a lawyer and former lecturer at the Tai Solarin University of Education, as well as Barrister Adewale Ojuri, a former member of the State House of Assembly.

Mr. Samuel Adeetan, the Director of Planning, Statistics and Research at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology will serve as the Secretary to the Visitation Panel.

According to a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Kunle Somorin, the panel would among other things, assess the current status of the institution with a view to ascertaining the attainment or otherwise of the objectives and law that established TASCE, while identifying the challenges militating against the attainment of these objectives.

Governor Abiodun, who decried the poor state of affairs and infrastructure at the College, called for stakeholders’ intervention on issues of content, quality and staffing at the institution.

The governor affirmed that, Ogun State is a front-runner in education and cannot afford to endure mediocrity, as the state government would do everything humanly possible to reverse the slide to decadence observable from the way TASCE is currently operating.

The panel, in accordance with its terms of reference, is expected to
review the relationship between various organs and critical stakeholders of the institution and the quality of leadership being provided.

The panel is also expected to examine the financial management of the institution and determine whether the funds from various sources have been prudently applied.

The actual staff on nominal roll, their existence, relevance of qualifications, with suggestions on ways to reduce personnel cost as appropriate, also come within the purview of the panel.

The panel is saddled with the responsibility to assess the staff/student ratio in line with NCCE guidelines, determine the viability and sustainability of the institution on a long term basis, identify any other issue(s) related to the objectives of the assignment, and make recommendation for consideration of the Government.