The Nation Newspaper

Tag: school

  • Community seeks help for school

    Community seeks help for school

    The dilapidated state of Obele Odan Nursery and Primary School, in Lawanson, Lagos State, has become a concern to members of its host community.

    They claimed that the municipal school, which is almost 40 years old, has not been renovated since inception.

    Mr Olatunji Lawal, Secretary, Community Development Association (CDA), lamented that the school lacks all basic amenities to provide quality education.

    “The school is getting dilapidated; and it is quite disappointing for a school like this to have no electricity, water, chairs, and toilet,” he said.

    Olatunji said the pupils are adversely affected by these challenges, which are compounded by bad buildings.

    “When it rains, the pupils have to just go home. There is no conducive learning environment that can possibly enhance a pupil’s intelligence. Students sit on the floor as there are no chairs.  Through the aid of parents, some are able to get chairs which they carry home as a property that belongs to them,” she said.

    Mrs Arogundade Ajoke, who teaches in the school, said its poor state has affected enrolment.

    “You can imagine when it is raining, we gather the pupils together to hug them as there are no windows, chairs.  I mean we have nothing in place that we can boast of.

    “We don’t have intake like it is meant to be. Parents who want quality education for their children don’t bring their kids to this school. And those you can see here is as a result of lack of choice, likewise me,” she said.

    When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mrs Adewunmi Okoh, said the Executive Chairman, Dr Ganiyu Sopeyin, confirmed that the school would soon be rehabilitated.

    “It is one of the schools that the government is about intervening in.  They have actually compiled the list of schools that government is working on so very soon, it would be done,” she said.

     

  • Ex-Lagos commissioner’s grandson kidnapped in school

    Ex-Lagos commissioner’s grandson kidnapped in school

    Grandson of immediate past Lagos State Commissioner for Rural Development Cornelius Ojelabi has been kidnapped.

    Michael Oluwatomiyin Ojelabi, four, was kidnapped in front of his school by an unidentified woman six days ago.

    His distraught parents are hopeful that he will return home.

    In tears, they said they had not received any phone call about his whereabouts.

    Sympathisers have been trooping to the Ojelabis’ Iyana School residence in Iba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of the state.

    Members of their church held prayers for the boy’s return yesterday.

    The boy’s father, Sunday Ojelabi, told The Nation that Michael and his sister, Oyindamola, were standing at their school gate, waiting for their mother, when the woman, who gave her name as Aunt Joy, said she was asked to bring them home.

    “I was shocked when my eight-year-old daughter told me her class teacher asked her to sweep her classroom. The teacher denied but three of my daughter’s friends said it was true. It was when she finished sweeping she took her brother to the school gate. Oyindamola told me that when they got to the gate, the woman, whom she described as tall, fat and dark-skinned, said my wife asked her to pick them. My daughter said she wasn’t going to release her brother but the woman asked her to inform her class teacher she had taken Michael. When she got back, they were nowhere to be found.

    “She went home to inform my wife and when they returned to the scene, shop owners said they saw the woman on a motorcycle but they didn’t know she was a kidnapper. We went to Ojo police station. We have been searching for him. I believe we will find him by God’s grace because I suspect nobody,” he said.

    Ojelabi said when he got the information, he reported the case to Adoff Police Station. He has also written a statement at the Ojo Police Station.

    He said: “My wife is a trader and she takes them to school every morning. The reason she was late to pick them on that day was because she was preparing their lunch. She didn’t want them to return home without having anything to eat.”

    When asked his last moment with his son that day, Ojelabi said: “I was getting dressed for work when he came to my room and said ‘daddy, good morning’. I replied ‘good morning’ and said I was off to work. He is my close paddy. I miss him these past few days because he was always awake whenever I returned from work. I keep thinking of my son’s condition. I keep thinking if he will be given his favourite biscuit and tea. We have been living in this environment for over 16 years and we have never witnessed incidents as this.”

    Michael’s mother, Mrs Elizabeth Ojelabi, was said to have gone to the church.

    The school’s head teacher, Olalekan Kazeem, said he was still in shock adding that the class teacher said she never asked Oyindamola to sweep.

    “We are security conscious here because I remember there was a time their father was not allowed to take his children because he wasn’t a familiar face in the school. I pray we find him because that is our joy,” he said.

    The Ojelabis are pleading with the public for information on their boy’s whereabouts.

    They can be contacted on: 08024371127, 08028287574.

  • Community seeks help over school

    Community seeks help over school

    The dilapidated state of Obele Odan Nursery and Primary School, in Lawanson, Lagos State, has become a concern to members of its host community.

    They claimed that the municipal school which is almost 40 years old has not been renovated since inception.

    Mr Olatunji Lawal, Secretary, Community Development Association (CDA), lamented that the school lacks all basic amenities to provide quality education.

    “The school is getting dilapidated; and it is quite disappointing for a school like this to have no electricity, water, chairs, and toilet,” he said.

    Olatunji said the pupils are adversely affected by these challenges, which are compounded by bad buildings.

    “When it rains, the pupils have to just go home. There is no conducive learning environment that can possibly enhance a pupil’s intelligence. Students sit on the floor as there are no chairs.  Through the aid of parents, some are able to get chairs which they carry home as a property that belongs to them,” she said.

    Mrs Arogundade Ajoke, who teaches in the school, said it’s poor state has affected enrolment.

    “You can imagine when it is raining, we gather the pupils together to hug them as there are no windows, chairs.  I mean we have nothing in place that we can boast of.

    “We don’t have intake like it is meant to be. Parents who want quality education for their children don’t bring their kids to this school. And those you can see here is as a result of lack of choice, likewise me,” she said.

    When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mrs Adewunmi Okoh, said the Executive Chairman, Dr Ganiyu Sopeyin, confirmed that the school would soon be rehabilitated.

    “It is one of the schools that the government is about intervening in.  They have actually compiled the list of schools that government is working on so very soon, it would be done,” she said.

     

  • Genevieve Nnaji’s daughter opens makeup school

    Genevieve Nnaji’s daughter opens makeup school

    Theodora Nnaji, daughter of Nollywood diva, Genevieve Nnaji recently set up her own makeup school called NAJ Makeup Artistry, located on Herbert Macaulay way, Yaba, Lagos.

    The Mass Communications graduate of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka recently completed her National Youth Service with stints at Cool FM, Wazobia Info, and WAZOBIA FM.

    Dora, as she is fondly called is the only child of the actress, and chip off the old block, as she is as beautiful as her charming mother. Her business has enjoyed patronage from quite a number of Nigerian entertainers, apparently due to having a star actress as mother.

    Although it is no longer news that sultry Genny is the mother of a daughter, what is surprising is that the youthful looking Nnaji could be the mother of a grown up lady and a graduate.

  • Ogun launches School Sports Festival tagged OGSSFEST

    The Ogun State government is set to bring back the glorious days of yesteryears in sports, following the launch of the Ogun State Schools Sports Festival (OGSSFEST) in Abeokuta last week (Dec 30, 2015).

    Speaking at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) between the government and the consultants on the project, Youth and Sports Commissioner,  Moroof Afolabi Afuwape, said the Amosu administration was committed to making the state “the factory of sports stars in Nigeria”.

    “The administration has upgraded the sport infrastructure in the state to first-class status and no state in Nigeria boasts of what we have at our stadiums and we have the technocrats. What remains for us is to bring in the private sector to drive first-class competitions. The GT Principals Cup and OGSSFEST are the pioneering efforts in this regard,” he said.

    The commissioner said the government believes success in sports is connected to age and that sports super stars needed to be caught and nurtured very young.

    “It is of no use discovering a football, tennis or athletics star in his or her late 20s. Most sports thrive on the ‘catch them young’ and now that sports is big business, we also see OGSSFEST as a way of fighting crime and unemployment in the land,” he said.

    Afuwape called on corporate organisations and philanthropists to embrace OGSSFEST “not just as corporate social responsibility(CSR) but in order to reap heaps of marketing advantages as over 4,000 kids will participate in the yearly competition.”

    In his response, the Managing Director of Newswatch Times Magazine,  Bolu John Folayan, said the competition would be the first of its kind in Nigeria and perhaps in Africa.

    He said a consortium of sports marketing and sports media experts are coming together to complement the state government’s initiative, not just to discover the stars of tomorrow but to also nurture them to stardom and make them financially self-sustaining.

    Folayan commended the Amosu administration on the initiative and expressed confidence that the festival would fulfill its objectives.

  • School inaugurates Computer lab at Xmas party

    School inaugurates Computer lab at Xmas party

    ST Peter & Paul Nursery and Primary School, Ikate-Elegushi, Lekki, Lagos hosted about 360 pupils and their families at the school ground to celebrate her Christmas party. The event also featured the inauguration of a computer laboratory centre donated by General Electric Oil and Gas is.

    The event was marked by fun and festivity as the beneficiaries also showed their appreciation by showcasing their proficiency on power point, word and corel draw to their benefactor.

    GE Oil and Gas is a blue-chip firmn with over 40 years of operation in Nigeria with interest cutting across aviation, power generation, oil and gas, healthcare, and transportation.

    GEs Head of Communications for West Africa, Mr Osagie Ogunbor, said the firm is proud to be associated with providing technology for the education of the less privileged.

    One of the GE Volunteers, Miss Yvonne Allomah, who was at the event, said: “At GE we believe that love forms the foundation on which the organisation and employees work towards success daily. Another is empowering and inspiring each other. It is truly a great privilege to have the opportunity to drive this outside the organisation by donating these computers to this school.”

    Loving Gaze General Manager, Barbara Pepoli, described the donation as a lifeline to opening the beneficiaries’ minds to the  opportunities to be explored in Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

    “We thank GE and AVSI, the Italian NGO which facilitated the kind donation made by GE in Nigeria. The new computer laboratory is a big development in the school’s quest to impart knowledge and education as a way of life in our pupils. Several educational applications and programs have been installed in each system to encourage pupils to learn with fun using technologically advanced means,” she added.

     

  • Fidelity Bank renovates school in Lagos

    Fidelity Bank renovates school in Lagos

    Fidelity Bank Plc has handed over a renovated, fully equipped block of classrooms to Ibafon Primary School, Ibafon, Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area, Apapa, Lagos.

    The lender said the education sector remains critical to driving socio-economic development. The school project was initiated and implemented by the staff of Apapa Region of Fidelity Bank Plc., under the auspices of the Fidelity Helping Hands Program (FHHP).

    Speaking at the occasion, Managing Director/CEO, Fidelity Bank Plc, Nnamdi Okonkwo said that the project is  part of the banks efforts aimed at improving the education sector in the country.

    Okonkwo said Nigeria’s  quest to be among the leading global economies  will be a mirage without a formidable workforce, a spin -off  of a sound education sector . He explained that  the FHHP is the Bank’s approach to giving back to the society.

    Okonkwo, who was represented by Obaro Odeghe, Head, Apapa Regional Bank, enjoined other private organisations to partner with the government in its efforts to revive Nigeria’s ailing educational system and bring back its lost glory. Odeghe promised that the Bank will return next year to renovate the other blocks of classrooms and equip them with state-of-the-art furniture and equipment.

    In his remarks, the Local Government Education Secretary, Solomon Aboluwodi commended Fidelity Bank Plc., for undertaking such a monumental project in the local government,. He noted that the  financial institution is already trailing the blaze in the CSR space and called on other corporate bodies to emulate Fidelity Bank. According to him, “if we have up to five organisations like Fidelity Bank in our different communities, the society will be a better place”.

  • School opens to special needs children

    Lekki British International School (LBIS), Lekki, Lagos State has disclosed plans to open up a department for children with special education needs, from next academic calendar.

    The school’s New Development Manager (SDM), Dr Dolapo Ogunbanwo, said she included the new department as one of her first agenda in office, based on her experience as a special needs child herself.

    Dr Ogunbanwo called on the society to be patient with children with special needs, as they have potential to be great in life.

    “I am somebody with special education needs myself. I grew up finding learning very difficult; but I was smart. Special needs children are just children who learn differently. It is not that they cannot learn, but what may take an ordinary child an hour to learn, a special needs child may take four hours to learn it, but the child can still learn it. You should not give up on them,” she said.

    The new SDM, who only recently returned to the country after completing her term as Programme Leader at the London Centre for Leadership in Learning (LCLL), Institute of Education (IoE), University of London, said she hoped to add value to LBIS as well as help raise standards in the education system.

    She faulted the government for not putting enough money into education, like developed countries.

    “The missing link between Nigeria and other countries whose education standards are high, is that the government overseas puts a lot of money in education and ours does not. In UK (United Kingdom), education is free but there is no free lunch or dinner, like our governments promise. Nigerians are eager and willing to learn, but learning needs money,” she said.

    Among other plans for the school’s 2016 calendar include introducing Years 12 and 13, as well as the  International Baccalaureate curriculum.

    LBIS founder, Mrs Abiodun Laja,  announced her retirement.

    “I am stepping aside because I am tired and I recognise her (Ogunbanwo’s) passion. I believe she is one person with integrity that can handle the school and I have other programmes I want to focus on.”

     

  • School produces best NECO results in Lagos, Ogun

    School produces best NECO results in Lagos, Ogun

    •Learn Africa rewards 111 candidates 

    It was double honour for Isolog Group of Schools as two of its former pupils were presented with the Learn Africa-NECO awards for recording the best performance in the 2015 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO) last Tuesday.

    With five A1 and four B2, Justin Nwaoha of Isolog College, Ojodu, had the best result in the examination in Lagos State; while Taofeek Adelaja, who sat for the examination at Isolog College, Alagbole, Akute, had three A1 and five Bs – the best result in Ogun State.

    The award programme, which was to reward the top three candidates at the state category held at the Head Office of Learn Africa Plc in Ikeja, Lagos State.

    Justin, who also had the best result in the May/June 2015 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Lagos State, is the second overall best in the NECO SSCE nationwide and would be rewarded at the national category award to be hosted by Learn Africa on December 2 at the Protea Hotel, Ikeja.

    The 17-year old, who has been admitted to study Medicine at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), attributed his feat to God and hard work.

    “I knew that it is just by God’s grace.  For other students I will say it is hard work and also prayers because God crowns efforts with success,” he said.

    Group Administrator, Isolog Schools, Mr Kehinde Olowe, said the school was delighted to achieve such feat, attributing it to a reward from the Almighty for the investments they made to achieve quality education delivery.

    “Starting from the quality of teachers that we have; we have not compromised on that at all.  And the facilities in school are such that a very ready student to learn will find it comfortable to learn and do well.  And we have not been disappointed from our performances,” he said.

    Olowe said the results were achieved without recourse to examination malpractice.

    Taofeek’s mother, Mrs Monsurat Bolatito Adelaja, attested to the school’s focus on integrity and hard work.

    “You know they are Deeper Life; they don’t teach people in the examination.  What they do is that they will train them before the examinations.  Parents used to complain.  Me, I used to say that ‘this is too much.’ They would resume by 7am and close by 5.  Sometimes this boy would not sleep before 2am.  He will say Mummy wake me up by 3, I will not wake him until maybe around five because I will be afraid so there won’t be any problem,” she said.

    Taofeek was nicknamed Sleeping Handsome in school because he used to sleep during classes as a result of late night studies.  The 16-year-old who has already been admitted to study Chemical Engineering at UNILAG, praised the school for its efforts on the pupils.

    “The school is known for honesty.  During examinations external subject teachers are not allowed close to the hall.  Our director really detests cheating,” he said.

    Justin and Taofeek got N40,000 each and certificates for their efforts.  Second placed Folorunsho Temitope from Ota Total Academy, Ogun State; and Kenechukwu Okuze of Apostolic Faith Secondary School, Anthony, Lagos State, were rewarded with N30,000 each; while third placed Paul Ofili of Jextoban Secondary School, Ketu, Lagos, got N20,000.

    Teachers that produced the best candidates in each state were also rewarded with N40,000 each.

    The teachers’ prizes for Lagos and Ogun went to Isolog Schools teachers, Mrs Ena Kpagban, who teaches English; and Mr Stephen Adekunbi, who teaches Chemistry.

    Managing Director, Learn Africa Plc, Mr Segun Oladipo said in his speech that the awards were instituted to encourage excellence.

    “They were instituted to underscore the significant role that excellence in education can play in achieving our national goals and aspirations.  We trust that the awards will encourage strong commitment to learning, celebrate diligent scholarship and healthy rivalry among students,” he said.

     

  • Ogun names school, estate after HID Awolowo

    Ogun names school, estate after HID Awolowo

    •Schools, markets closed tomorrow

    The Ogun State government has named the state-owned Model School in Ikenne and Plain Fields Estate, Abeokuta after the late Mrs. Hannah Idowu Dideolu (HID) Awolowo..

    The Model School and Plain Fields Estate are being built by the Ibikunle Amosun administration.

    Former Osun State Governor Bisi Akande; Minister of Solid Minerals Kayode Fayemi, his wife; Bisi, yesterday joined the  people to celebrate the life of the matriarch of the Awolowo family.

    For hours, dignitaries including Governor Amosun, chairman of the defunct Interim National Government (ING) Chief Ernest Shonekan; Chief Ayo Adebanjo and ex -military administrator of Ekiti State Gen Tunji Olurin extolled the virtues of Yeye Odua.

    Amosun, Shonekan, Adebanjo and Olurin, who spoke at the Gateway International Stadium,  Sagamu, venue of the celebration, described Mama Awolowo as an “exemplary woman,” a “ great mother, grandmother and a true daughter of Ogun State”.

    Amosun enjoined Yoruba women and Nigerians to imbibe Mama’s core values of selfless love and service to humanity.

    According to the governor, the State Executive Council (SEC) concluded that one of the best ways in which the state could immortalise Mama Awolowo was to sustain the ideals and philosophy, which she stood for.

    He noted that the late Yeye Odua worked for the stability of the Awolowo dynasty, standing by her husband throughout his political travails.

    “We should imbibe her ideals, selfless service and love for humanity because it is the greatest legacy we can leave for Mama. We should copy all the good virtues, values and attributes of Mama HID because that is the way to honour her.

    “Mama worked for the stability of Papa’s dynasty. She stood solid and resolute not only for the Awolowo family but also for the Yoruba. She was a good woman, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and daughter of Ogun State,” Amosun said.

    For Shonekan, HID Awolowo was a rallying point in progressives’ politics, an exemplar in character, who worked diligently for the economic and socio-political development of Yorubaland.

    He said Mama’s support for her husband was unique, adding that her “indelible marks on the sands of time and the legacies left behind will continue to speak for her”.

    Speaking on behalf of the family, Mama’s eldest daughter, Mrs Omotola Oyediran, said the show of love by Nigerians attested to their appreciation of what her parents did for the country.

    The government has directed that all markets and public schools in Remo be closed tomorrow.

    This was contained in a statement in Abeokuta yesterday by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Taiwo Adeoluwa.

    It stated that the closure was a mark of respect for the late matriarch.

    The release, however, said the directive would affect only schools Ikenne, Remo North and Sagamu Local Government Areas.

     

    ”Government, hereby, appeals to market men and women as well as residents of the state to troop out en-masse to give late Mrs Awolowo a befitting burial,” it said

     

    At the ceremony are wife of the Vice-President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, the Iyalode of Yorubaland, Chief Alaba Lawson, Ambassador Olatokunbo Awolowo – Dosunmu, Chief Doja Adewolu, the General Overseer of Deeper Life Christian Ministry, Pastor Williams Kumuyi, Evangelist Ebenezer Obey, among others.