The Ondo State Government says every adult resident in the state will henceforth pay N1,000 annually as contribution to the education endowment fund.
Mr Akinsola Akinfenwa, the Chairman, Ondo State Education Endowment Funds (OSEEF), said this at a news conference on Tuesday in Akure.
He said that every resident of the state from age 18 and above would make the contribution to boost education in the state, and complement government’s efforts in the sector.
The chairman said that the essence was to provide a pool of fund outside the normal government subventions.
”This fund will be used to renovate, rejuvenate and generally upgrade the education system in the state,” he said.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr Femi Agagu, said that the levy would be collected annually by the state government.
”The fund will have perpetual existence. People will be encouraged from within and outside the state to contribute.
”The contribution can be made at once or in installments. We urge good spirited individuals and corporate bodies to support the fund,” he said.
The commissioner stated that the state government was currently funding 1,285 public primary schools, 308 public secondary schools and five public technical colleges.
”The state government also funds two public innovations centres, four special schools, three public universities, one public polytechnic and one public college of health technology,” he said.
Agagu said it was difficult for the state government to carry the burden of developing the education sector alone.
He said that payment should be made online through https://quickteller.com/odirs.
The Commissioner for Finance, Mr Wale Akinterinwa, said that the state government was committed to developing the education sector.
”This fund will complement government’s efforts toward repositioning education in the state,” he said.
In his speech, the Chairman, Ondo State Internal Revenue Service, Mr Tolu Adegbie, said the state government was expanding its sources of fund for the education sector.
He expressed the state government’s commitment toward prudent use of the fund.
”We require collective effort to fund education. We assure our people that OSEEF has people of integrity to manage this fund,” he said.
The Ondo State Education Endowment Fund Law 1992 was amended and assented to in 2022.
