From LAYI OLANREWAJU, Ilorin
The Old student’s associations in Kwara state have commended the state government on the ongoing efforts at rehabilitating public schools in the state.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on the sideline of reunion of Class of 87 of the Government High School, Ilorin at the weekend, the national president of the old students association, Alhaji Raji Mohammed, therefore, called on members of old students association to complement efforts of the government at improving educational infrastructure in the state.
Mohammed, who said that many old student’s associations had slept on their responsibility over the years, said that government alone can no longer shoulder the responsibility in education sector.
“The government that was up and doing in the olden days now have bigger responsibilities on their hands to the extent that they could no longer do it on their own any longer.
“My clarion call to old students associations is that we’re all stakeholders in our old schools and thus the need to give back to the schools in form of assistance to them. A visit to the school serves as source of joy. We should not leave the school to government alone. We should use our connection, influence in the society to assist in order to make things better.
“The governor is trying to bring back the good old days, or the past glory to our schools. With all sense of humility, we want to commend the governor in his efforts at improving education generally in the state. It’s an onerous task and the government alone cannot do it. To resuscitate all schools in the state means a lot and could gulp the whole budget of the state for next 10 years. So, we need support of stakeholders to give back to the school”, he said.
Also speaking on behalf of president of the set, Mrs. Omotomike Adegoke, a member of the set, Mallam Issa Shehu, corroborated the national president, while he commended the Kwara state governor for efforts made so far to rehabilitate the school.
He said that the recent renovation efforts had helped to uplift the school against years of neglect and dilapidation.
“The government has laid the foundation for us to build on. Though, we still urge the government to do more, what they have done would surely trigger us to perform”.
Malllam Shehu, who said that the reunion event of the set was the first major get-together since 34 years ago.
“So,we plan to come together to ensure we give back to our school. We also plan to assist some of our less privileged, deceased members, their family as well as promote areas of need of every member. By next year when it will be 35 years of leaving the school, we plan to come up with a landmark project for the school. That’s one of the reasons for the gathering”, he said.