Wife of the Governor of the State of Osun, Alhaja Kafayat Oyetola has admonished parents and guardians to ensure that their children have vocational education with their formal education at the same time.
Mrs Oyetola who made the call yesterday at the 2020 end of the year children’s party held at the Government House Lawn, Osogbo, urged all parents to allow their children to have a vocational skill and also help them to build their talents.
The event was put together by the Office of the Wife of the Governor in collaboration with the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Affairs.
She noted that formal education alone cannot sustain the children and also make them successful, saying that the only way to empower the children apart from western education is by the way of vocational skills.
The wife of the Governor also called for total adherence to the rules and regulations for the prevention of the Coronavirus pandemic, just as she urged the parents always use face masks as well as their children.
She said: “Hosting our children at this gathering has been a tradition for years. Prior to now, this ceremony had always been hosted without fear and anxiety. However the kind of challenge that marked this year since late 2019 has called for much caution and restructuring of every form of gathering.
“You would have noticed that coming into this venue; we have had to provide face masks and hand washing facilities. These are dictated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We thought we had finally gone the corner with it but information reaching us indicates that there is a resurgence of cases across the country. Therefore, we cannot afford to be lax with our safety protocols.
“The masks must be worn in public places at all times. Keeping of social distance is also recommended and where this is impossible, we should mask up. I pray that God will heal our land of diseases.
“Apart from the safety protocols, the challenge of the moment also demands that we show more love to one another. This is the season of love. The COVID-19 pandemic has also further underscored this. Therefore, let the tempo of love for one another be increased at this period.
“I thank our mothers for the extra-ordinary job you have been doing in ensuring the safety and welfare of the children. The job has been made more hectic with the lockdown that attended the first wave of the pandemic. The challenges may be very daunting but they certainly underscore the great role of parenting.
“As I said earlier, the situation still calls for vigilance on our part. Let us continue to intensify the care and training of our children. We must ensure we properly supervise their academic activities when they are home.
“To the children, I urge all of you to be of good behaviour. Shun every form of vices. I urge you to concentrate on your learning, be it online or in-person”.
