Holy Rosary College, Enugu, staff, students excited as PTA equips labs, renovates infrastructure, etc, valued at N80m
From Ibe Nwachukwu, Onitsha
It made for an exciting time recently for the management, staff and students of the Holy Rosary College (HRC), Enugu, when Enugu State government commissioned a number of projects valued at N80 million and executed by the Parents/Teachers Association, PTA, of the college.
The projects commissioned by the State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Uche Eze, on behalf of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, included the fully equipped Biology, Basic Science, Physics and Chemistry laboratories, a befitting entrance gate to the school premises, security post, school fence and the interlocked landscaping.
Cutting the tape at the ceremony, Prof. Eze observed that positive changes in terms of infrastructural facilities have continued to flourish in the school, courtesy of the PTA, adding that, “as a parent whose child is a student of the school, I am happy and as a commissioner, I am fulfilled.”
The Commissioner disclosed that the state government has already set up a joint committee of churches, government and PTA to identify critical areas that would require attention, so as to help boost education standard in the state since, according to him, “education is the most valuable thing one can bequeath to his or her children in life.”
He commended members of the PTA for their focus and doggedness in carrying out development projects in the school without waiting for government or the Enugu Catholic Diocese which owns the college and urged them not to relent as according to him, all good works do not go unrewarded.
In his opening remarks at the ceremony which coincided with this year’s Annual General Meeting of the PTA, its Chairman, Chike Nonyelu, a legal practitioner based in Onitsha, Anambra State, disclosed that the PTA has more projects to execute than the ones already commissioned, all of which, he said, will be aimed at giving the school a facelift.
Nonyelu who was returned unopposed with his executive members for a second tenure of three years in office, emphasized that the new PTA executive would channel its limited available resources to the construction of modern toilet facilities, modernization of existing hostels and building of new ones to decongest the crowded existing students’ hostels.
He commended the PTA for re-electing him and other executive members for a second term in office, adding that the measure was a demonstration of an implicit confidence reposed in them. He maintained that it would definitely spur them to do more for the school.
Earlier in her address, the Principal of the school, Rev. Sister Angela Igwe, commended the PTA for working hard towards the modernization of the 81-year-old school with 102 tutorial staff, 98 non-tutorial staff and approximately 1,800 students. She disclosed that the school management has drawn up a building plan to build more new hostels estimated to cost N130 million, with an underground water tank/reticulation estimated to cost N40 million.
She commended the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, owner of the school, for meeting up its obligations by paying staff salaries and urged the mission to assist them with the most pressing need that she identified as the water reticulation system.
The new executive members returned unopposed for the second term, through a motion moved by Dr. Festus Ugwueze, a member of the PTA and seconded by Pat Ekemezie, shortly after rendering their annual financial report and dissolution of the old executives, include Chike Nonyelu, Chairman; Dr. Mrs. Nkechi Egenti, Vice-Chairman; the School Principal, Rev. Sister Angela Igwe, Secretary; Rev. Sister Pauline Nduche, Treasurer; John Nwigwe-Ani, Financial Secretary; Nze A. N. Okeke-Ene; Tobi Umunna and Rev. Sister Scholar Nwokike, ex-officio members.