… Solicits more collaboration and professionalism in the school system.
By Adewale Adewumi
His Royal Majesty, Oba Lawrence Adebanji Aladesuyi (Afayagbekun II) the Onijan of Ijan-Ekiti recently held a special meeting with Principals and Bursars of secondary schools in Ijan-Ekiti community.
The stakeholders engagement was held to harness the monarch’s efforts to establish further progress in the community, while soliciting for more collaboration from education sector in his domain.
One of the key points discussed at the meeting was the need for an all inclusive but versatile educationist indigenes of the town into activities of the schools mainly to collaborate the efforts of the teachers on students upbringing, motivation and counseling and the giving of necessary advise as the case may be.
His words; “We want to change the orientation of our people toward embracing encouragement on new developments in the town, this is a new era, we are on the level to move forward and more faster than we were yester years, hence we must see ourselves as one and contribute effectively to developments in the town.”
“Ijan -Ekiti is a relatively peaceful environment that we all could testified to, the new administration beacons on us to see the reason to allow unity and harmony, because we are doing everything possible to bringing everybody on board so that we can be on the same page with all our projects and contribute our quota.”
He added that a reasonable number of individuals in the community are successful in their various professions and they are ready to give back to the community by contributing immensely to their respective’s Alma Mater.
The royal father urged the Principals to always get in contact with community leaders in whatever capacity they are facing challenges while giving the assurances of his constant visits to the schools in a bid to do thorough monitoring and follow up to most of the governmental projects in each schools and ensuring proper safety to them and to instill discipline on the students.
Also speaking at the event, an indigene of the town and Professor of Forestry at the Ekiti state University, Ado – Ekiti, Prof. Olagunju John Olujobi, expressed satisfaction in Kabiesi’s idea for organizing such a meeting at this vital time the people of the community are eagerly preparing to marking the first Coronation anniversary of the monarch. He corroboratted the words of Kabiesi on his promises and good programmmes for the good people of Ijan part of which is the incorporation of the heads of various schools within the town to harness their views and thus put them on top gear by bringing home more progress to the community.
The Chairman of the steering committee for the Coronation further called for more synergy among the schools in terms of professionalism and good academic tenets at impacting knowledge and morals on the students saying; “We must do our best to shaping the future of the students by not allowing the current challenges in our society to derail and distract the students from becoming important person(s) in the nearest future.
According to him, “Although, we are aware of the current decline in our societal values and norms which had vehemently affected the education system, but we must not allow the vices in vogue to further outweigh our culture and the future of our children and wards. Hence, we must take the drastic steps now and be more proactive in our approach addressing those identified problems by not allowing the intrigues to further wreck havoc on us.”
Prof. Olujobi hinted the school Principals on the proposed career talk designed for the students to come up at the Coronation week urging them to prepare the students to attend in their numbers.
In their reactions , the Principals unanimously appreciated the monarch for organizing such a meeting while promising to do their best at delivering quality education and sound morals on their students.
They highlighted some of the challenges confronting the schools such as erection of perimeter fencing to curb insecurity menace most especially at Ayo Daramola Memorial Grammar School, Ijan-Ekiti and Ujilogun High School at Ilupeju-Ijan-Ekiti where they complained of the disturbance of Fulani Herdsmen in the school vicinity.
Other obstacles identified by the teachers included; lack of Modern ICT laboratory, building a modern ICT Centres and procurement of Modern laboratory facilities at Ijanmodu Comprehensive High School, Ayo Daramola Memorial Grammar School Ijan-Ekiti and Ujilogun High School, Ilupeju-Ijan-Ekiti respectively, among other challenges mentioned.
They solicited for community supports and cooperation. Appealing to the old students of these schools to come to their aid.
Present at the meeting were; Elder Babalola O.S. Ijanmodu principal, and registrar, Mr. Farotimi Odunayo. W., Mrs. Aluko F.O. principal, Ayo Daramola, and registrar, Mr. Ibitoye O.O., Mrs. Adebiyi G.A. Ujilogun school principal and registrar Mr. Ojo Nicholas Taiwo respectively.
