…as graduating students present school with late founder’s bust
The graduating students of the Abiola International School, Ikeja, Lagos, have honoured their founder, late Chief MKO Abiola, at the 2018 graduation ceremony held recently.
The presentation of Abiola’s bust to the school, according to the graduating class, was to thank the institution and to serve as a symbol for the quality education the founder intended for all Nigerians at the inception of the school.
The nursery and primary school was established by the late business mogul and winner of the 1993 presidential election, Abiola, on January 11, 1993.
According to the head teacher, Mrs. Abosede Alli, the vision of the founder for the establishment of the school was for people to get quality education at little or no cost.
Alli said but after Abiola’s death, the school management had to look inwards concerning the running of the institution.
“We had to make parents to understand that for us to stand on the quality we are known for, they really needed to add more as for the fee and they have been cooperative enough,” he said.
Alli, who was excited that the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari eventually recognised the efforts of Abiola by declaring June 12 as Democracy Day, said the graduating class’ project added up to what was in the atmosphere (June 12 declaration).
She said that it also afforded the pupils the opportunity to showcase what the school had been inculcating in them.
“They were just like, let us do something about our founder and they came together to do the bust of our Founder, because they need to keep him alive in their minds,”
Alli said.
On the challenges, she said the school had been able to maintain quality with the help and grace of God, especially after Abiola’s death, when the management had to raise the fees in order to continue with the legacy of the founder.
Alli, however, cautioned parents on the right age for children to proceed to secondary school, saying it is mandatory for primary school pupils to go through all the classes, especially basic six, which is the level they would be prepared for secondary education.
She disclosed that it had become a common thing among primary school pupils to move to secondary school from Basic Four or Five, which she said was not too good for educational development in the country.
“This is a class the child knows he or she is ready for secondary school. They do things more than academics when they are in grade six and they literarily get them prepared for the class ahead and they are not afraid of the new environment,”
she said.
The Guest Speaker, Mrs. Oluwakemi Ayodele, who is also the chief executive officer of Standard Educational Books House, in her speech, told the graduating students that for them to soar to greater heights, they needed to make use of some tips which she said would help them as they proceed to higher
classes.
The tips, according to her, include belief in self, choosing their friends wisely, having the right character, developing a positive relationship with God and having the five Ds of success- desire, decision, determination, diligence and
discipline.
Ayodele said if they could make use of the tips, they would increase rapidly in all aspects of life, especially in their chosen
careers.
