The people of Aaye community in Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State turned out in their numbers recently to witness the kick off of “Operation Renovate All Schools in Ekiti (ORASE)” by the state governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi.

The programme was targeted at renovating nabout 100 schools in Ekiti State within the next seven weeks.

The flag-off was the first phase of the renovation of the 100 of the 183 secondary schools scheduled for renovation and the furnishing of same with 40,000 units of furniture.

The state government said the project would cost N2.5 billion, saying it was expected to be delivered before resumption for the 2012/2013 academic session  in September.

According to the government, N600 million out of the N2.5 billion would be expended on provision of furniture for both students and their teachers in the schools.

Speaking at the flag-off of the renovation exercise at the three senatorial districts held at Methodist Comprehensive High School, Aaye Ekiti, Corpus Christi College, Ilawe Ekiti; and Olaoluwa Muslim Grammar School, Ado Ekiti, Governor Fayemi said the intervention programme was part of the decision of his administration to have functional education that equips students with learning, enlightenment and enterprise to face the challenges of life more squarely.

Dr Fayemi added that 30 secondary schools had been selected from each of the senatorial districts in the state based on the urgency of their condition.

“Our resolve to ensure that this impartation of functional educational is done under a conducive atmosphere informed the Operation Renovation All Schools in Ekiti (ORASE) being flagged off today,” Governor Fayemi said.

The state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Dr Eniola Ajayi, in her remarks on the occasion, said the renovation of the schools was necessary given the level of dilapidation and decay in the schools, adding that this was not unconnected to several years of neglect and poor job execution by contractors. Members of the community commended the state government for the step and expressed the hope that the schools would turn out better after the exercise.