By Jamiu Ganiyu
The residents of Osun State has reminded the Governor of the State, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola on the need to cancel the same school uniform policy in the state in line with his electoral pledge during one of the series of event that led to the last year September gubernatorial election of the state.
It would be recalled that on the 16th of September, 2018, at a Governorship Debate organized by a cable television, Channels TV, Adegboyega Oyetola, the then-candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), promised to cancel the same school uniform policy of the State Government if it is a popular demand.
Against the backdrop of calls from the residents of the state, osun.life, conducted a poll recently and the result indicated that 85% of 529 residents of the state that participated in the opinion poll called for the cancellation of the same school uniform implemented by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s administration while only 15% supported the policy.
Since the introduction of the same school uniform policy in the state by the last administration, different reactions have continued to trail the policy including strong opposition by some religious organizations and interest groups such as market women who felt the policy has affected their periodic sales and patronage they enjoy from time to time from students across the state who changes their uniform at intervals.
On the 30th of August, 2013, while speaking at the inauguration of the Omoluabi Garment Factory, the immediate past Governor of the state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, said the factory would employ 3000 tailors at full capacity and about 50,000 uniforms would be produced daily.
In his words, the former Governor said, “The decision to give the students common uniform was made with the aim of giving them a common identity and purpose, as well as a sense of unity and pride, which had been lost in the decay that set in public schools in Osun before this administration.
Sensing that not all his policies were well thought out, the immediate past Governor of the State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, admitted at a Supreme Court victory rally organised in his honour in July that Oyetola’s administration would consolidate on their achievements and correct the mistakes of his administration.
Some pundits have however said the same school uniform policy is one of the shortcomings of Aregbesola’s administration and are carefully observing if Governor Gboyega Oyetola would have the will power to reverse the policy.