The Nation Newspaper

Tag: alma mater

  • Govt College, Ibadan alumni seek ownership of alma mater

    Only Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in the administration of Government College, Ibadan (GCI) will revive the fortunes of the school, old boys of the school have said.

    They are appealing to the Oyo State government to allow them partner in the funding and management of the school that has produced many prominent Nigerians.

    During the yearly luncheon and merit award of the GCI Old Boys Association in Lagos, Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Oladipo Akinkugbe, former Cross River State governor, Donald Duke, and a former Chairman of Committee of Pro-Chancellors, Dr. Wale Babalakin argued that the only option for government is to return public schools to private bodies to raise the fallen standards.

    While delivering his keynote address entitled: Secondary education as second fiddle – A bewildering paradox, Akinkugbe lamented the low morale of teachers, poor salaries, overcrowded classes and understaffing.

    He observed that pass rate in secondary schools has nose-dived to less than 10 per cent. He also decried the state of the age-old GCI where a teacher now handles 300 students.

    He added: “The incursion of government into the area of ownership of schools has further complicated an already parlous state of affairs. Voluntary agencies had been the fore-runners of secondary education for over a century and the extent of government participation had been limited to regulating and monitoring through inspectorate divisions or ministries.

    “The best option is joint ownership by government and old boys in the spirit of public private partnership.”

    Babalakin, who is the Chairman of the GCI Old Boys Association (Lagos Branch), praised the state government for its efforts, adding that the college needed far more assistance to get back to shape.

    He said: “The old boys continue to strive valiantly to uphold the school and its ideals 35 years after the unfortunate exercise by various governments that led to the down grading of many secondary schools including our great school.

    “The policy of the government in 1979 which turned the exclusive territory of Government College, Ibadan to the domain of other secondary schools, including Apata Ganga High School and the near eradication of merit as a criterion for entry into the school was an unpardonable assault on quality education in Nigeria. “

     

     

     

     

  • Ex-pupil donates N5m house to alma mater

    Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has unveiled a six-classroom brick house worth over N5 million built by Mr John Nwosu for his alma mater, Odida Central School Nnewichi, Nnewi.

    Obi, represented by the Education Commissioner, Dr Uju Okeke, praised Nwosu, Chairman of Jet link and Governorship Aspirant under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), for his gesture urging others to emulate him.

    Nwosu, who announced a scholarship for Chioma Okolocha, a primary six pupil for her brilliant performance in debates and other brain tasking activities, said his gesture was devoid of politics, but inspired by the desire to contribute to the development of his former school.

    “My intention is to give the pupils the best to learn under conducive environment. But I want to use this opportunity to advise contractors and builders to be sincere in dealing with the public and by being selfless in doing projects they are paid for in the society as shoddy jobs don’t pay anybody any good,” he said.

    He praised Obi for returning schools to the mission.

    HeadTeacher of the school, Lady Pauline Obi, also praised the donor. But the listed areas of need of the school, including new buildings to replace an existing structure which, she said, has become a death trap, classroom and teachers’ furniture, computers as well as repairs of the damaged boreholes and an overhead tank.

     

  • Ex-minister lifts alma mater

    Ex-minister lifts alma mater

    Former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji has paid a visit to his alma mater St. Patrick’s College, Emene Enugu. He was accompanied on the visit by some members of the old students association of the school led by its National President, Chief Clement Okwor.

    It was a memorable visit during which they discovered that the school which shaped their destinies had remarkably dilapidated. The school was almost in ruins. Classrooms, laboratories and dormitories were deteriorated, a situation they blamed on government’s take-over of schools. The school lacked science laboratories.

    All equipment in the once-well equipped science laboratory had disappeared altogether.

    This particular scenario touched the former minister.

    Nnaji wondered how such a dilapidated school could produce quality students.

    Right there, the former minister promised to undertake the renovation of the buildings housing the science laboratories. Not only the renovation of the building; he also promised to equip the laboratories with the most modern science equipment.

    That promise was fulfilled as the science laboratories consisting of physics, chemistry, biology and agricultural science were unveiled and inaugurated.

    During the occasion, the school which was recently returned to the original owners, the Catholic Church, was in festive mood. The students were in their best while the Catholic Diocese of Enugu ensured that the event was a memorable one by providing the necessary logistics.

    While inspecting the laboratories, the representative of the Catholic Bishop of Enugu, Monsignor Luke Adike was full of gratitude so much so that he exclaimed: “These are above secondary schools laboratories. It’s the first of its kind in this part of the country.”

    In addition to the science laboratories, there was a computer laboratory with 100 laptop computers unveiled and inaugurated by Prof. Nnaji.  Nnaji said to the students: “I felt bad when I visited the school last year and saw the appalling condition of the science laboratories in the school. When I was here as a student, there was a functional library equipped with books and the laboratories were well equipped.

    “It was here that I was molded and that was why I became an engineer today. I did practical experiences of almost all subjects during my secondary school period.

    “Whatever you take here will make you what you will be tomorrow. Your tomorrow is being shaped today. The world today is a world of science. Aeroplanes, computers, televisions, medicines and so on are all as a result of science.

    “If you have these laboratories, you are going to be good in science. Learning science will help students know much; even those who are not science-inclined will benefit a lot by having some knowledge of science.”

    Nnaji thanked Governor Sullivan Chime for his wisdom in handing the schools over to their original owners.

    President of St. Patrick’s College, Emene Old Boys’ Association Chief Clement Okwor thanked Prof. Nnaji for fulfilling all his promises to the school which included provision of transformer, science and ITC laboratories.

    Okwor, who was the former Head of Service in Enugu State, described the new laboratories as the best school laboratories in Enugu State.

    During the High Mass which preceded the inauguration, Monsignor Luke Adike who represented Bishop Callistus Onaga lamented the gross decay in infrastructure and equipment in secondary schools since the government forcible took over f schools from their original owners.

    He recalled the efforts of the missionaries who built the schools for us to become professionals in our different endeavours; only for the government to seize the schools and neglect them.

    He praised the good nature of Prof. Nnaji in single-handedly providing the learning equipment for the school, even as he said it was for the benefit of the leaders and citizens of tomorrow.

    He prayed that God would continue to bless Prof. Nnaji in his selfless service to the society. He called on other well-to-do old students of the school to emulate Prof. Nnaji and do more for the school.

    The Principal of the school, Rev. Fr. Chijioke Eze who expressed his joy also blessed and thanked Prof. Nnaji for his kind gesture. He promised that he would do everything within his ability to ensure that the students put the laboratories to good use.