By Olanrewaju Adesanya
Proprietress of Diamonds Mine Nursery and primary School has counseled government to harmonize taxes payable by school owners to bolster the delivery of qualitative education.
Mrs Aderibigbe gave the advice last Friday, while speaking with newsmen at the school’s end of session and graduation ceremony, which held on the school’s ground, at Ogba, Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos.
She said: “One would wish that the government harmonise taxes in order to encourage serious investors in the education business, especially in the primary school sector.
“They can do that by giving some succour, to the issue of multiple taxes, the local government would come, the state government would come and all of that. If we can have a harmonized tax structure, we would be able to make adequate plan.
“Though government appreciated the fact that they cannot do it alone, they need to partner with serious investors especially in the critical primary school sector.”
Mrs Aderibigbe said her school in the outgoing session, had participated and performed excellently well in several academic competitions, among which was the Spelling B Competition, which the school came first in the primary category, as well as the Lagos State Mathematics Competition, organized by the Mathematics Association of Nigeria (MAN), where the school equally won in the primary category.
She described all the primary school graduands as a great asset to whichever secondary school they go. “They are products that will enhance whichever school they find themselves,” she said, adding that one of the pupils even got a secondary education scholarship from one of the secondary schools.
“My advice to them is that they should keep up the flag of academic excellence. They should shun cultism and any other bad gangs,” she said.
She hinted of plan to have a secondary arm of the school soonest.
Mrs Aderibigbe challenged parents to change their attitude to their wars education. “Some of them find it difficult paying tuition fee, some parents have not been cooperative and when fees are not paid on time, basic planning judicious execution of projects are greatly hampered.
“Some don’t take care of their children, they allow them wear tattered and dirty uniforms and sandals to school, while some refused to buy their wards instructional materials for their studies, if they can work and cooperate with the school in these areas, the future of their children will be brighter.
Some of the parents of the graduands could not hide their happiness with the qualitative education afforded their wards.
Pastor Olize Chukwuemeka father of a graduand said: “I can say they are trying.”
Mrs Maria Oshshure, mother of one of the graduand said Diamonds Mine School brought good tidings to her family.
“They started from the grass, today my kids can stand up to any student anywhere. They have participated in several competitions and won awards. They have come first in every competition they go to, so I am very happy and proud of them, and my kids are always participating in everything they do in Diamonds Mine school. I am proud of them.
“Diamonds Mine is a school where every parents must bring their children, because no matter how poor those children are academically, their teachers shall reverse them. If they don’t know how to read or write, come to Diamonds Mine and you will be proud of your kids.
“Of course there are challenges but I am much aware the proprietress is pushing hard to meet and surmount them.
“All I have to say to parent is that they should keep moving, as their children remain their future.”
Earlier in his welcome address, the school’s Director Mr Adeyinka Aderibigbe said the school which was established in 2008, has become a major force and a school of first choice for discerning parents looking for the best nursery and primary schools in the local government. “We have continued to beat our own record of academic excellence every year,” he said.