People who are managing and regulating educational system in Nigeria should as a matter of importance ensure that the nation has an educational system that builds character before certificates, promotes ethics, empathy, and practical life skills with formal academic credentials considered somewhat as byproducts of holistic development, a professor of Civil Engineering at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Professor Joseph Afolayan, has submitted.
Doing this, he added, will ensure that graduates are emotionally intelligent, disciplined, and prepared to contribute positively to society.
Professor Afolayan said this on Saturday while giving his keynote speech during the luncheon held by class 1976 of Government Secondary School, Omu-Aran, Kwara State to celebrate their 50th reunion at the Labour Hall, Ilorin.
Government Secondary School (GSS) Omu-Aran, Irepodun local government, Kwara State, was established in 1967.
The university Don, whose keynote topic was ‘Nigeria Education: Yesterday and Today, A Comparison’, also emphasized the need for the country to preserve the strengths of the past.
He noted that there is a need to restore discipline which will make schools enforce ethical standards, rebuild respect for teachers by ensuring better remuneration and recognition, revive moral education with the enforcement of character to accompany knowledge, and strengthen Technical Education through acquisition of skills to complement certificates.
Professor Afolayan, who, at different times, served as acting Vice-Chancellor of Landmark University and Vice -Chancellor of Anchor University, listed challenges facing the nation’s education sector to include; poor funding, poor infrastructure, brain drain, examination malpractice and insecurity while emphasizing the need to ensure increase in budgetary allocation, improvement of infrastructure, digitization of classrooms, continuous training of teachers, promotion of educational research, improvement of the welfare of teachers, strengthening of quality assurance and promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship.
‘If Nigeria is to achieve sustainable development, educational reform must remain a national priority. In other words, we must strive for an educational system that: builds character before certificates, values competence above credentials, rewards innovation over memorization, produces leaders rather than job seekers and inspires lifelong learning’ ,Professor Afolayan, who was represented by Dr Shehu Ibrahim, submitted..
Chairman of the occasion, Prince Sule Fagbemi, a retired Permanent Secretary, congratulated members of the class of 1976 on their 50th reunion while also thanking God for making them witness such an important event.
One of their teachers; Pa Adeolu Adebayo Aderele Adeogun, who taught them social studies and History, stayed in high spirits throughout the event.
He was visibly happy as his former students took turns to exchange greetings with him.
Giving his speech, Pa Adeogun called the 50th reunion ‘legacy programme’ while also commending his former students for remaining good ambassadors of GSS, Omu-Aran.
Highlights of the event include presentation of cash gifts to their former teachers including Pa Adeogun, Samson Abayo Iloye and Mr J.K Aina and a solar sound system to their alma mater.
First Head Boy of the school, Alhaji Gafar presided over the presentation ceremony segment.
Principal, Government Secondary School, Omu-Aran, Pastor Olusola Ajewole listed challenges facing the school to include ageing infrastructure, limited resources, and the ever-present demand to do more with less but noted however that ‘in the face of these challenges, our staff and students have continued to press forward, and they are determined that the name and reputation you built for this school will not be diminished on our watch’.
Pastor Ajewole however urged them to join others in mentoring current students in order to bridge the gap between academic life and professional success.
‘This is where I make a respectful appeal to you, our esteemed alumni. You are living proof of what this school can produce. Many of you have gone on to excel in medicine, law, engineering, education, ministry, business, public service, and countless other fields. As you celebrate this golden jubilee, I ask that you also consider how you might give back through mentorship, through resources, through advocacy so that the students currently on this campus may have the same, or even greater, opportunities that were afforded to you’ he said.
He also thanked the class of 1976 for choosing to celebrate ‘this milestone in a way that reconnects you with your alma mater’.
‘To the class of 1976: fifty years ago, you left GSS as students. Today, you gathered together as icons, as elders, as living history. GSS is proud of you, and we celebrate you today, not only for what you have achieved individually, but for the honour you continue to bring to the name Government Secondary School, Omu Aran.
May God continue to grant you long life, sound health, and strength, so that you may return not just for the golden jubilee, but for many more anniversaries to come.
On behalf of the staff, students, and management of Government Secondary School, Omu Aran, I welcome you home. Congratulations to the great Class of 1976!’ he added.
Earlier in his welcome speech, Coordinator of the 50th Reunion, Mr J. T. Olayioye said the event provided an opportunity to reflect on life journeys while urging members of the class of 1976 to remain united.
My dear classmates, many of us can still remember that memorable day when we resumed Form One on the 6th of January, 1972. At that time, we were very young, innocent, and small. We did not fully understand what the future held for us. We came into the school with dreams that were still forming, and with little knowledge of the journey ahead. But today, we can boldly say that God has brought us this far. Over the years, we have faced many challenges. There were times when life tested us in different ways. There were moments when people may have doubted whether we would make it. But by the grace of God, we overcame. Today, many of us have become fathers, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers, leaders, professionals, community builders, and elder statesmen and women.
We must also remember our classmates who started this journey with us but are no longer alive today. Many of our colleagues have departed from this world, and we honour their memory with love and respect. May Almighty God grant them eternal rest and continue to comfort the families they left behind. For those of us who are alive today, we have every reason to thank God. It is not by our power, wisdom, strength, or wealth, but by the mercy and grace of Almighty God. To be alive after fifty years of graduation is a great blessing, and we must never take it for granted.
This reunion is therefore an opportunity for us to reconnect, forgive, support one another, and strengthen the bond that started many years ago. We may have gone our separate ways after school, but the memories we shared remain part of our lives forever. As members of the 1976 Set, our old slogan still speaks strongly to us: ‘We are all together’, this slogan reminds us of unity, friendship, love, cooperation, and brotherhood. Let us continue to live by it. Let us remain united, not only during this ceremony, but even after today’ he submitted-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079, 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
