The executives of King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA) have called on the Federal Government to hand over the premier institution to them for management.
President of the association, Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim-Imam made the demand during the 112th Anniversary of the school recently. He contended that the government had no business running secondary schools, adding: “We are ready.”
Ibrahim-Imam, who is Mutawallen Borno, called for a bill on the matter. He pledged that if their request was granted, they would maintain the character of the school.
”We guarantee that 10 pupils from each of the 36 states would be admitted under the management. We will retain the school’s character. And that this could also affect the other unity schools,” he said.
He urged the Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, to assist them in sponsoring a bill on the matter to give the issue the legal teeth.
Ibrahim-Imam decried the infrastructural decay in the school which was once the pride of the nation and its seeming neglect and abandonment by the government, its owner. He recalled that the school, which has produced many greats, had one objective: to unify pupils from different parts of the country, in spite of their background, though they must be good academically. These pupils include former Federal Works and Housing Commissioner, Chief Olufemi Okunnu; retired super federal permanent secretary, Philip Asiodu; immediate past Emir of Kano/Central Bank Governor Alhaji Lamido Sanusi, notable accountant and cleric, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo,, Chuma Anosike, who was chairman of the Anniversary and former Managing Director Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), now Chairman, Fidelity Bank, Mr. Mustafa Chike-Obi. Others include Dr Leke Oshunniyi, and a lawyer Rotimi Aladesanmi.
The president painted a gory picture of the school, saying that this led to the association stepping in to give a helping hand to provide and repair some vital infrastructure and employing temporary teachers and workers.
The school’s Principal Andrew Agada said the school has 66 temporary teachers and 78 non-teaching staff members and that more workers were needed to handle some vital areas such as vocational and technical subjects as well as the clinic.
He noted that the school has 3141 pupils, adding that almost 5,000 apply to the school yearly but that more could not be admitted due to their capacity.
Gbajabiamila promised to assist KCOBA if it would help to build the school, especially to meet its objective.
0 Comments