The Class of ’89 of Satellite Secondary School, Ojo, Lagos, has called on federal and state governments to generously invest in public schools to improve the standard of education in the country.
Mrs Irene Amahwe, Spokesperson for the ’89 set, said at the 30th anniversary and reunion of the set in Lagos on Sunday that most Nigerians could not afford to send their children to private schools.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the old students donated a gas cooker and cylinder to the school’s Home Economics laboratory and also presented gifts to their former teachers.
“More investment is needed to recruit more teachers so that the students can have proper learning process.
“Most public schools lack funding and building maintenance; we all know that government can not do this alone, which means parents and teachers associations need to play huge roles.
“Back in those days, we had vibrant and effective parents and teachers association who cried out to the government for school assistance and it worked,” she said.
Amahwe said that the reunion was held to honor and celebrate their former teachers and give back to the school for imbibing discipline and hardwork in them.
“Every teacher should be appreciated always because they are part of the people who moulded us to be great in life and we disagree with the saying  that ‘teachers reward is in heaven’.
“We came in 1984 and finished 1989 and we were the last set that spent five years in secondary school after that government introduced junior and secondary schools.
 
“During our time, education was very interesting because the teachers were strict and disciplined us which was a corrective measure and no form of shortcut to learning.
“For example, then, we do not abbreviate words which means we write the complete sentence or word, but nowadays students or younger ones prefers abbreviating words which affects their English Language,” she said.
Amahwe said that they would continue to give back to the school and hoped that other old students would also do the same in order to contribute to education system.
Mrs Ngozi Olujumu, a pioneer teacher of Satellite Secondary School, urged Lagos State Government to bring back EKO project on education system in the state.
 
Olujumu said that Eko project was initiated during the Bola Tinubu’s administration and allowed principals to develop each school at its own pace.
“Then we had libraries, computers and some of the teachers were also trained outside the country which helped us to teach the students in different learning process.
“I started teaching in this school in 1981 for a period of nine years and was teaching physical and health education.
 
“Apart from education, being a physical and health educator, I taught them how to explore sport activities and ways to avoid drug abuse.
 
“I am happy to see my former students today; I pray they will continue to be successful and they should never give up on anything,” she said.
Also speaking,Mr George Ndnkwe,one of the pioneer teacher of Satellite Secondary School said that he was happy for impacting knowledge into all his students. (NAN)