The Lagos State Government, through the Office of Education Quality Assurance, has enhanced the capacity of its quality assurance officials to ensure effective monitoring and compliance with educational standards.

Addressing about 350 evaluators from the OEQA on Monday in Lagos during the flag-off ceremony of a four-day training workshop for evaluators, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, emphasised the need for professionalism in carrying out their duties.

He charged the officers to be firm, objective, yet courteous in their dealings with school owners and administrators, stressing that they should be regarded as progressive partners who must be guided to conform to the educational standards of the state.

The Coordinating Director of OEQA, Remi Abdul, while addressing the evaluators, emphasised the importance of professionalism and integrity as key drivers of effective quality assurance operations.

He said the theme of the workshop, “Strengthening Professionalism and Integrity for Effective Quality Assurance Operations,” was strategically chosen to underscore the importance of integrity in carrying out evaluation exercises.

“Our responsibility goes beyond compliance checks. It is about modelling excellence, upholding standards, and reinforcing the confidence of stakeholders in the Lagos State education system,” he said.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Basic and Secondary Education, Opeyemi Eniola, implored participants at the workshop to sustain the tempo of excellence for which Lagos State had been known over the years.

He said, “Don’t let down the guard of excellence. Continue to play the lead role by upholding the quality of education which has made Lagos State a cynosure of all eyes and a point of reference for other states in the country.”

Delivering the keynote address at the workshop, the Director of General Nigerian Studies at Lagos State University, Ojo, Prof. Mohammed Babatunde, commended the government for organising the capacity-building exercise, noting that the theme was not only timely but also strategic in safeguarding the future of education in the state.