How to run an enduring educational institutions

LACK of appropriate management skills, static (or inflexible) corporate processes and procedures, as well as inappropriate management of money, are some of the factors that militate against the sustainability of educational institutions.

A resource person, Mr Adedamola Olofa, made the comments last Thursday in Ibadan, Oyo State while speaking on ‘Building an Enduring Institution’, as part of the celebration of the 12th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Oyo State chapter.

The event took place at the Adeline Hall of the Lead City University.

He defined building an enduring institution as “establishing and running a consistent, viable and profitable school that can outlive the founder.”

Olofa noted that an enduring institution must be able to demonstrate the consistency of performance standard and be able to build and sustain the loyalty of patronage.

These, he said, would be achieved through the provision of quality service, the personality of its service providers and robust customer relationship management (CRM).

In an earlier presentation, a medical doctor, Dr Niyi Oluwadamilola, spoke on ‘Managing Your Health as a School Owner’, during which he emphasised the importance of adequate sleep, appropriate nutrition and the need to be conscious of and avoid habits that could put undue pressure on the heart.

Dr Oluwadamilola also stressed the need for regular blood pressure check, and to avoid eating late, especially foods with high calories/carbohydrate contents.

In her welcome address, the chairperson of the planning committee of the event, Dr Mary Odedare, paid tribute to the founding fathers of the association, particularly the late Pa Adedigba.

She also listed what she said were challenges confronting the association, including “multiple taxations, tedious bureaucracy in getting schools approved, unconducive environment to run private schools, and non-inclusion of private schools in some decision and policy making.”

She said: “On some of the aforementioned challenges, I want to appeal once again to our Honourable Commissioner for Education to please use his good office to come to our aid, and we promise that we will not let you down. We will be apt to our responsibilities by giving quality education to Oyo State children.”

The afternoon session of the programme also featured a special lecture on ‘Funding Private Education in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects’, delivered by Professor F. S. Akinwunmi of the University of Ibadan.