Date: 2018-08-09

The Kwara State Government has said the effectiveness of teaching and learning of English Language and Mathematics as core subjects in secondary schools will be improved upon in the state.

The Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Bilikisu Oniyangi, gave the assurance at the weekend while speaking at the grand finale of the maiden edition of Kwara State Inter Secondary Schools English and Mathematics Competition organized by a non-governmental organisation, Saliu Mustapha Foundation, in collaboration with the Kwara State government.

The commissioner, who spoke through the Director School Services of the ministry, Mr. Timothy Oyewole, stressed the importance of English and Mathematics in both basic and secondary schools, describing the two subjects as the core of every discipline and which were requisite for admission into tertiary institutions.

While speaking on factors responsible for failure of students in the two core subjects, Hajia Oniyangi traced them to lackadaisical attitude on the part of students, and exposure to information gadgets especially mobile phones which have affected time for study.

She said the state government provided enough teachers for both English and Mathematics in all public schools in the state and asked the teachers to be more proactive in the discharge of their duties.

Earlier, the spokesman of the foundation, Malam Mahmood Olayinka Alaya, had disclosed that 30 students qualified for the grand finale of the competition from 60 schools that participated in the competition across the three senatorial districts of the state.

The founder of the foundation, Malam Saliu Mustapha, said it was established to improve the lives of poor people in the society, students and those with different health challenges.