Educational Initiative for Development in Western Nigeria (EIDWN) and the Conference of Old Students and Alumni Associations of Western Nigeria, have sought for synergy with state governments at all levels to address deficit of infrastructure and decay in educational systems in the South-West zone of the country.
They submitted that the conditions of schools across the South-West could not be attended to alone by government, hence the need to harness the resources of the old students or alumni associations to rebuild schools for all round development, both in teaching and in learning.
The stakeholders converged on the premises of Abeokuta Grammar School, Abeokuta, to celebrate the 2022 Alma Mata Day hosted by AGSOBA with the theme ‘My Team’s Contract’, describing Old Student Associations as viable sources of funding and development of the educational system.
The Managing Trustee, EIDWN, Mr Adebowale Thompson, submitted that government can no longer adequately fund schools, hence the deficit of infrastructure spread across schools in the nation.
He noted that this development had evidently affected teaching/learning process, with attendant of poor performances in academic activities.
Thompson, therefore, said funding and management through Old Students Associations will assist in rediscovering the lost glory and reposition the schools for the challenges of the future.
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“Everywhere we turn, we are scandalised by the terrible state of our schools. We are too ashamed to bring our grandchildren along to see our old schools.
“There is no controversy anymore to warrant a debate of the ability or otherwise of government to fund functional, not to talk of agenda-setting, education and capacity development as in the glory days. We have to help ourselves through new initiatives,” he added.
The Global President General of Abeokuta Grammar School Old Boys’ Association, Sunday Oduntan, reitreated the commitment of the Old Students Associations in supporting governments at various levels in the development and sustaining of quality education in the country.
“Government should recognise that Old Students Association’s resources are easier to harness, more reliable and shorn of stringent condition attached to other donor funds,” the communique reads.
and then