Education
LAGOS State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, has called on school administrators to intensify efforts at imparting skills on students to empower them more for the future.
Adefisayo made the call at the 95th Founders Day celebration of Queens College Lagos, on Monday.
“People have high tendencies to learn new skills at early ages, and when exposed to new experiences through skills development, they become more creative and imaginative.
“No matter the level of education given, it is essential that the girl-child learns a skill as something to fall back on after graduation from secondary and tertiary institutions.
“There is need for the government to invest more in Queens College, Yaba, because there are great potential here,’’ she said.
The official noted that the college had produced great women including the first female Vice Chancellor in Nigeria, late Prof. Grace Alele-Williams, and the newly-appointed first female Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola.
According to the commissioner, there is room for improvement.
The Permanent Secretary in Federal Ministry of Education, Mr David Adejo, applauded the old students of the college for landmark achievements over the years.
Adejo was represented by Hajia Binta Abdulkadir, Director of Senior Secondary Education in the ministry.
He also thanked the parent-teacher association of the college, the school based management committee, corporate organisations and individuals for contributions to the growth of the college.
“Your relationship with the management has indeed added value to this college. It is my hope that you will continue to partner with us; the ministry is aware of all the projects executed.
“We are aware that it is to improve the lives of the students and staff, we must wake up to the saying that education for all is the responsibility of all.
“Let me at this point, acknowledge the request forwarded to the ministry for assistance; these requests are germane and the principal will be advised to ensure that they are captured in the college’s budget,” he said.
Mrs Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, the President of Queen’s College Old Girls Association (QCOGA), described the college as a national monument that attracted students from different religions and ethnic groups across all the federation.
According to her, in the past, the Federal Government funded the school system adequately.
“We were all beneficiaries of this; we enjoyed good food, text books good chairs/tables, music, assembly hall activities.
“With establishment of more schools, a rapidly growing population, less revenue per capita and more students, government funding has not kept pace and cannot keep pace.
“With myriads of needs competing for attention, funding schools has become more difficult,” she said.
Omoigui-Okauru urged that more efforts should be made to improve infrastructure, curriculum content and quality of teachers in the 95-year-old school.
Release of 95 balloons into the air to signify 95 years of
existence of Queens College Lagos
The Chairperson, Board of Trustees of QCOGA, Ms Amehi Igbodalo, described the college as a training ground for female leaders.
She urged more stakeholders to join hands to maintain standards in the college.
Igbodalo said that education infrastructure development should not be left for the government alone.
According to her, endowment fund launch was incorporated into the 95th Founder’s Day celebration to create a platform for alumni, individuals, corporate bodies, public and private sectors to make contributions.
“We need everyone to be actively involved in the fund raising project for this great college, an educational basket for all states in Nigeria,” she said.
On the sidelines of the event, Mr Adewuyi Adedamola, Chairman, Parent-Teacher Association of the college, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the college had been committed to raising outstanding girls with passion to contribute to nation building.=
“In recent WAEC and NECO exams, we had over 500 students that sat and recorded 98 per cent pass in subjects, including in Mathematics and English, it is part of our success story in academic performance,” he added.
A senior student of the college, Miss Daniella Olisakwe, expressed appreciation to the QCOGA, for organising the 95th Founder’s Day celebration.
She said that she was impressed at the support of the association to the school.
The highpoints of the event were cultural displays and release of 95 balloons into the air to celebrate the event attended by even septuagenarian and octogenarian old students of the school inaugurated on Oct. 10, 1927, with the motto: `Pass On the Torch’.
Some old students of Queens College Lagos including a
set of twin – Mrs Kehinde Onikepo (extreme left)
and Mrs Taiwo Soyannwo (extreme right) – who are octogenarians
