The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FSTC

  • FSTC principal gets recognition

    Principal of the Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC), Yaba, Rev Chris Ugorji, has been recognised for his contribution to the school’s development.

    Senior officers of the college, members of the PTA executives as well as the Chairman of the School Based Management Committee (SBMC), Mr Ladi Lawanson, witnessed the presentation of the award by the African Global International Magazine, which sent a delegation led by Mr Keneth Okafor to the school.

    Speaking at the principal’s conference room, Okafor said Ugorji was selected for the award, following his nomination by the public to the governing board of the media organisation.  He said it was in recognition of the positive changes in the school since Ugorji came on board about two years ago.

    Ugorji, who retires this year, promised to keep working hard until his last day in office.

    He advised the workers to give their best and be assured of recognition in due season.

    “My pledge to God is that until the last day, I will be working like I have 100 years ahead.  Let us continue to take the assignment God has given us seriously.

    ‘’Since I came many of our staff have been promoted. It came by reason of dogged commitment.  Every position or situation, regard it as a preparatory ground.  Even as I prepare to exit, my prayer is that God will bring somebody who is better than I am; that will take staff welfare seriously and would love the children,” he said.

    Many of those present praised Ugorji, saying he deserved the award.

    The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) Chairman, Mr Abdul-Rafi-O Abdul-Qudir, said Ugorji exceled because he listened to people.

    “The Principal listens and anyone that listens makes less mistakes,” he said.

    Mr Lawanson said Ugorji had done well for the school.

    “Hon. Reverend Ugorji is a committed educationist and an astute administrator. He has provided exemplary leadership at FSTC Yaba. The result is a motivated management team and committed workforce. This, in turn, has translated to improved academic performance and visible discipline among the students.This award is the latest in a long list of laurels that attest to the quality of stewardship he has rendered at FSTC and his previous assignments. He has earned my unreserved respect and admiration,” he said.

  • FSTC converts three classrooms into hostels

    •Parents reward workers

    Principal, Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC), Yaba, Rev Chris Ugorji, has said the school was forced to convert three classrooms into hostels to accommodate about 300 newly-admitted pupils.

    This is the second time the school has to provide makeshift accommodation to accommodate its boarding pupils.  Last session, the college converted some classrooms to hostels because of the same problem.  The classrooms were later vacated when the last set of SS3 pupils graduated in July.

    In an interview with The Nation, Ugorji said the school has partitioned one of its multipurpose halls into five classrooms until it is able to address the acute shortage of hostels to house most of its over 4,000 pupils.

    The school is depending on the PTA to complete its 1,200-bed female hostel project as an immediate solution to the accommodation crisis.

    Ugorji said the management was forced to convert the classrooms to hostels when it could not accommodate all those who applied to be admitted into the boarding house.

    Disgruntled parents of pupils who were not accepted had accused the school management of favouritism in the selection process.

    However, the principal refuted the claim, noting that as the unity school with the largest population of pupils in the country, it faced the challenge of not being able to accommodate all its pupils, especially in a metropolitan state like Lagos.

    “We have converted three hostels into classrooms.  The hostel can accommodate about 300 students.  The multipurpose hall has been converted into five make-shift classrooms for now.  Parents are very happy about the development.  The students will start coming in from tomorrow (yesterday) from 4pm because we do not want it to disrupt school activities.  They will be checked in until Friday.  We want them to settle down because Saturday is visiting day,” he said.

    Meanwhile the Parents/Teachers Association (PTA) recently organised an awards programme to appreciate workers of the school.

    Speaking on the hostel project which has reached roofing level, the PTA Chairman, Mrs Oby Ugwillo, said the project would be completed before the year ends.

    The project has been slowed down by a controversy in the association over an audit of how the N30,000 paid by each pupil of the school last session was spent.

    Mrs Ugwillo said the PTA executives would call a congress once the project was ready.

    Speaking on the workers’ appreciation programme, she said the PTA recognised the efforts workers make to educate their wards and decided to reward them.

    At the programme, she announced that teachers with children in the school would only pay 50 per cent of PTA levies.  She also promised the association would give all teachers a Christmas package this year, just like the last.

    “The PTA recognizes that when members of staff are appreciated, they will do more.  They train our children not only in academic but in morals,” she said.

    The association presented all the workers with various gifts categorized according to their grade levels.

    In addition, special prizes were awarded to outstanding workers, including: Mr Jamiu Oyelami (best science teacher); Mr M. Ajetunmobi (best technical teacher); and Mrs Funmilayo Raphael (best non-academic staff).

  • FSTC Principal appeals to parents on accommodation

    The Principal, Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC), Yaba, Rev Chris Ugorji, has appealed to parents of newly-admitted pupils to bear with the school’s inability to accommodate all the JSS 1 pupils it has admitted due to space constraints.

    Ugorji spoke during an interactive session the management of the college had with members of the Parents/Teachers’ Association (PTA), School-Based Management Committee (SBMC), teachers, and journalists on Monday.

    He spoke ahead of the release of the final list of pupils to be admitted into the boarding house.

    Vice Principal, Students’ Affairs, Mrs Ann Ajisafe had informed the gathering that out of 350 pupils interviewed in the second batch, there were bed spaces for less than 100 pupils.

    Rev Ugorji, who could not give the exact number of JSS1 pupils admitted so far because the process is still ongoing, said the college is the one with largest student population (about 4,000) among the 104 Federal Unity Colleges.

    “We said admission would be very strict.  But I don’t have control over admission.  Admission is based on three criteria: merit, state quota and exigency – the big masquerade.  Many go to the minster, Oba, SBMC chairman, divisional police officers, heads of departments and others to use their good offices to get them admission into the college.  Everybody has a geographical, economic child.  In as much as we want admission to be strict, there are some forces that make them difficult,” he said.

    With the school’s inadequate hostel accommodation, Ugorji said the school cannot accommodate all its new pupils.

    Last session, he said the problem forced the school to convert some classrooms into hostels.  But he said such could not be done again as the classrooms were also inadequate.

    The principal said the completion of the 1,200-capacity female girls’ hostel being constructed by the PTA would address the institution’s accommodation problems.

    However the project, which has reached roofing stage, has been stalled because of internal dispute within the association over accountability of the project.

    A representative of the PTA, Mr Modasiru Sanusi, said the PTA would present accounts of the project to parents very soon.

    He however noted that some disgruntled elements within the association were the ones indicting others not to contribute additional funds to complete the project.

  • FSTC is grooming future athletes for Nigeria, says Principal

    FSTC is grooming future athletes for Nigeria, says Principal

    The 44th Annual Inter-House Sports of the Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC), Yaba gave the principal, Rev Chris Ugorji, an opportunity to blow the school’s trumpet in sports.

    Ugorji said talents discovered during the school’s sporting meets are already making waves at important competitions. The most prominent of the achievements were the medals the school won at the Lagos State Secondary School Sports Festival, tagged, Ibile Games, held between January 26 and February 6 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere.

    The principal said the college won 15 medals, made up of five gold, four silver and six bronze.  The five gold medals were won by Omeje Anslem (200 metres junior boys event); Kate Tope (long jump, boys); Kareem Samsideen (who won two gold medals in gymnastics), and Samuel Adara (chess).

    He said the achievements are because of the importance the college attaches to sports.

    “Let it be on record that at FSTC, Yaba, sport is given deserving recognition, support and attention.  Through our annual Inter-House Sports competitions, hidden and budding talents are discovered among our students and we shall stop at nothing to nurture and bring these talents to limelight,” he said.

    In his speech, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja, Dr Mac John Nwaobiala also said the Federal Government is commitment to encouraging youth to participate in sports to breed future athletes for the country.

    “We want see how we can encourage our young people to get to their peak through sports because we are usually not happy when Nigeria is identified as age cheats during major international sport tournament. We want to create an environment where budding talents would be brought up to national level and eventually bring glory to the country,” he said.

    To this end, he said the ministry is initiating policies to transform the Federal Unity Colleges into centres of excellence in academics and sports.

    Meanwhile, the invitation relay race was one of the most interesting features of the inter-house sports.

    Many secondary schools from within and outside Lagos honoured the invitation of the host school, and added colour to the event – just as there were many principals of Federal Unity Colleges as well as several directors from the Federal Ministry of Education (FME), Abuja that graced the competition.