The long anguish of the pupils and school authorities of Urban Day Grammar School, Adeoyo, Ibadan, Oyo State, recently became history when the academic setting received a boost from the Old Students’ Association of the school.
Despite its conspicuous location in the heart of Ibadan, both the junior and secondary wings of the school had wallowed in deterioration for so long with growing fears that the school could likely go into extinction following its lack of proper funding.
However, with the recent development the school witnessed courtesy of the donation of the old students’ association, clearly, life has been restored to the school.
Virtually all necessary requirements for a proper academic environment have been restored compared to the initial sorry state pupils were subjected to. As part of efforts to give back to their own, the association officially donated over 200 tables and chairs to the school, thereby providing the needed environment for learning. The school also got a new fence, a standard gate and other infrastructural benefits.
The roof of the principal’s office and a set of classrooms were also repaired. The multi-purpose hall in the compound hitherto taken over by weed was also rehabilitated; ditto the toilet. The school’s library, Home Economics laboratory and other classrooms were also rehabilitated.
Speaking on the development, representative of the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Dr Tunde Odekunle, commended the commitment of the alumni association in improving the quality of education in the state ranging from the engagement of personnel, organization of workshops for teachers, to provision of textbooks and notebooks to students.
“It is apparent that the government alone cannot fund education and this is why the private sector, philanthropists, missionaries and other associations are welcomed to partner with the government to attain the desired result.
“The current administration has within a short space abolished all forms of payments in our public secondary schools, awarded scholarship grants of N60 million to Law students in various tertiary institutions in the state, as well as distributed textbooks and notebooks to all public secondary school students in the state. “
“What the alumni are doing is highly commendable and it is in line with the vision of Governor Seyi Makinde’s government,” Odekunle added.
He, however, urged the management of the school to ensure the protection and proper use of the facilities.
The president of the association, Dr Babatunde Oduntan, noted that the development was a mission accomplished in restoring the lost glory of the school, just as he acknowledged the cooperation of the entire association, school authorities, parents and pupils in bringing the school back to life.
“The dwindling state of the school caught our attention, and as good ambassadors of the school we are concerned to come to its rescue. This school is historic and we cannot afford to allow it go into extinction. The school was founded in September 1980 during the administration of the late Chief Bola Ige, governor of old Oyo State.
“We made provision of 200 tables and chairs; renovated dilapidated classrooms, constructed main entrance gate, constructed school fence; we introduced academic activities to stimulate students’ moral, scholarship for deserving students, among other things to revive the standard education in the school,” he added.
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