Government Secondary School, Afon in Kwara state was established by the regime of retired Major-General George Agbazika Innih of the blessed memory in 1976, as a clarion call for expansion the educational space of the state, sequel to the upsurge in production of primary school leavers yearning for higher education.
The school then occupied a pride of place in terms of adequate and befitting infrastructural facilities that guaranteed conducive learning environment for the students.
As time goes on, the school soon become victim of dwindling public funding, thus sliding into the sphere of sorry state of pitiable infrastructural decadence crying for solution.
No doubt, the Education sector is one of the highly capital intensive ventures by any government to execute in the process of providing qualitative education for the citizens of any nation.
Experience has shown that because of the high cost bringing education to the door step of the citizenry, and inview of the inability of government to effectively fund this vital sector, vis-a-vis other competing financial interests in the act of governance, it becomes important,there that old students’ associations wade in to complement government’s efforts in ensuring effective and efficient education sector.
Therefore,the concept and formation of Old Students’Association reflects the need by old students to contribute their qouta to either uplift their alma mater from the doldrum of sorry state infrastructural existence as exemplified in the case of Gss Afon in recent time.
Quite conscious of the of the existing infrastructural dilapidation in their alma mater and the dire need to appreciate the school which laid the solid foundation for pedigree boosting their accomplishments in nation building,the Old Students took the bull by the horn to bail out the school in their own little way with all seriousness it deserves.
The idea of pulling resources to bail out the 46-year-old school from infrastructural decadence started as a child’s play from the formation of a WhatsApp platform by some like minds and contact for the membership began to spring surprises in membersh showing enthusiasm in giving life to a collective yearning to effect meaningful changes in the appalling physical condition of the school.
The increased curiosity by members in actualising their aims and objectives for a dear schoo, snow balled into the need to visit the school premises with a view to assessing the level of infrastructural challenges confronting the school and to see how members can chart the cause of ameliorating the problem.
The committee charged with the onerous responsibility of visiting the school, hitherto known for its outstanding accomplishments in producing Nigerians in position of enviable responsibility in the private and public sector of the economy, was raised for the purpose.
It soon come back with bitter story that set tongues wagging at the same time pressing home the the urge for urgent intervention for the repairs of some basic facilities to bring a sigh of relief to teachers and students in the school.
Irked by the picture of dilapidated structure in the school as revealed by the committee members,out of volition, swang into action and money rained in their thousands to enable them embark on the repairs of the school borehole, examination hall, clearing of bushes that enveloped the premises of the school,among other assistance.
The fact remains that while it cannot be ssid that it is now “uhuru” to say Gss Afon has gone back to its adoring infrastructural architecture it was noted for in the mid 70s and perhaps,90s, its old students have proved that they know their onions when it comes to appreciating a school that has impacted so much in their life in many ramifications.
With absolute transparency in the utilisation and accountability of the few thousands of naira members raised for the execution of what has been described as palliative programme to the monemental infrastructural defect of Gss Afon, there is hope that in no distant future, Gss Afon will be great again, if not greater.
Gravevine has it that members are not relenting efforts in their avowed determination to better the lot of their alma mater as they continue to deep hands into the pocket with more funds coming out for the continued execution of more projects, pending when their clarion on the Kwara state government to carry out total repair of facilities in the school.
Education stakeholders have commended Gss Afon Old Student’s for their timely response to an Alma mater in dire need of the contribution of its old students for an urgent bailout in terms of infrastructural repairs to pave way for conducive learning atmosphere.
The agitation for the restoration of befitting infrastructural development for Gss Afon has gone beyond members as they have met officials of state Office of Head of Service and those of SUBEB, Project Unit over the cause of Gss Afon.
The Commissioner for Education, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary and the Ministry’s Directorate of Projects, coupled with others have visited the school, courtesy of the members of the committee, to assess the physical condition of the school for necessary action.
It is hoped that Kwara state government, under the dynamic and pragmatic leadership of Governor Abdul Rahman AbdulRazaq will answer the cry of the old of the school and give the greenlight for the complete renovation of Gss Afon in no distant future.
After all, it is often said that it is the child that raises its hands that the parents carry.This,to all intends and purposes the the old students of Gas Afon have collectively and aptly demonstrated, through unflinching support and unalloyed commitment to the cause of having Gss Afon they were in, school they vowed to be proud of and will not do anything to make its name go rot.
Above all, the dream of the old students of Gss Afon, as it were, is to see their alma mater relish in a conducive atmosphere and modern infrastructure to propel meaningful learning process, desired environment and boost the educational development of Kwara state and Nigeria at large.
Ahmed, a media consultant, belongs to the 81 set of Gss Afon.
2 Comments
This is aptly written. Thank you for this piece. Keep it up Sir.
I remain humbled,my sister.