Aiyedatiwa asks old students to help fix Ondo public schools
- Ondo governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa say government alone no fit fund education and e want alumni to step in.
- He talk for Akure at the 50th anniversary of Omoluorogbo Grammar School, one commissioner represent am.
- Alumni don build classrooms, fix offices, add fence and set up support for poorer students.
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa don call on former students and other well-off Nigerians to help repair public schools, saying the state no fit carry the cost alone.
He make the appeal on Saturday for Akure at the 50th anniversary of Omoluorogbo Grammar School. The governor was represented by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Sunday Olajide.
Aiyedatiwa say old students wey don do well suppose remember the schools wey start them off and put money and materials back into those schools. In his words, "Government cannot single-handedly fund the education sector," so alumni and other stakeholders suppose add to wetin the state dey do.
His message land on one familiar problem. Many public schools across Nigeria still get broken classrooms, small facilities and small funding, and old students' groups don increasingly become the ones dey patch roofs, buy equipment and pay fees for students wey no fit afford am.
Wetin old students don do for the school
Kayode Akinmade, wey chair the anniversary planning committee and na former Commissioner for Information, list some of the work alumni don do for the golden jubilee. He say he build and furnish one four-classroom block and give the school generator.
He say another old student, Dr Munirat Ogunlayi, renovate the school hall, while Oluwole Adelabu renovate the staff office and the administrative block. Other projects include perimeter fence to improve security and protect school property, and exercise books for students.
Akinmade say the alumni also set up one Student Support Programme wey dey give money to poorer students so they fit pay for their Junior Secondary School examinations and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination.
He describe giving back as duty and way of thanking the school for the foundation wey their careers build on, and urge other former students to join in.
For parents and students, the appeal point to one question wey matter every term: who dey pay to keep classrooms fit for learning. Alumni money fit cover buildings and exam fees, but e depend on how many old students go answer the call.
No word from the government on new funding for public schools for the state.
