The Oyo State Government should give desired attention to the development of public schools in a bid to curtail the worsening state of infrastructures and the falling standard of education, the Seminary Saint Anne’s Old Girls Association has said.
The first National President of SSASOGA, Similolaoluwa Onabanjo, who made reference to the situation at Saint Anne’s School, Molete, Ibadan, advised the Oyo State Government to declare an emergency on the infrastructural needs of the school with the aim of restoring its past glory as a first school of choice within the state.
Onabanjo, spoke during the inauguration of projects executed by the Old Girls of the school on Thursday. She lamented the numbers of decayed infrastructures in the school as a result of neglect and poor maintenance culture.
The Old Girls contributed its quota to the school by replacing bad windows and doors; painting of the junior school 1 by the 1962/1966 set; ongoing construction of archive and Museum building by SSASOGA National and Lagos branch; and the landscaping of the school, among others.
She said, “The aim of SSASOGA is to bring back the standard and the glory of the past. We know that government cannot do it alone and that was why we intervened but the state can show more commitment. The more we do to improve infrastructure in the school, the more students that are pushed in and that cannot help. There is so much pressure on infrastructure.”
While addressing the officials of the Ministry of Education, the Teaching Service Commission, and other scribes of the state government, who embarked on assessment visit to infrastructures in the school, she said, “Because you have seen, you will be able to appreciate our efforts and what are yet to be done.
“As first national executive, we met a lot of tasks on the ground. It is better late than never, so we are determined and we are doing our best. Most of the infrastructures in the school are as old as 70 years, so a lot of them need to be renovated. When we came on board, we had short term, medium and long term goals. We achieved them to some extent.
“Part of the challenges of the school is security; the school’s walls had been penetrated several times by outsiders. There are various entries into the school, a girls’ school for that matter. How won’t they fall victims of rape? It is bad not to take security as important.
“We appeal to the state government to help make the environment less porous to invaders. Some of the houses here in the school are not habitable. The school needs water, most of the roofs are leaking and there are no desks. For our members, whatever project that we embark on should be finished.
“In trying to attract good teachers to the school, availability of staff quarters would have been an advantage. It does not matter if you are an indigene or not, there are several scholarships for brilliant but indigent students that had not been taken. We would only give scholarships to those who will not waste it.
Mr Victor Olugbemi, Director and Zonal Inspector of Education, Ibadan Zone 1, who read the address of the Office of the Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, lauded SSASOGA for its sacrifices to ensure that the school remains one of the best in the world.
Olugbemi said, “The project being inaugurated today, without mincing words, must have gulped millions of naira, time and commitment. But let me remind you that the generations behind you will continue to pray for you.”
Prof. Adebisi Showumi, an Old Girl, expressed hope that the government would do the needful by raising the stake of education to a place of pride.
