By Adeola Ogunlade
The Pioneer President & Chief Servant of Reservation Secondary School Tolu 1997 set, Timothy Oguike have called on the stakeholders in the education sector to do all in their power to rebuild their alma mater.The stakeholders include the state government, Ministry of Education, town union, parents and others.Oguike said this at Reunion Party Class of 1997 held at GRAND PALLAZO HOTEL (Pool Side), Festac Link Road, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos. It was a moment of joy and merriment as the old student relics memory of the past and hope of pleasant years to come.
He said that education remain the bedrock of development in any society and any investment in the sector remains the best legacy we can bequeath to the next generation.
He said that the education of the students of Reservation has suffered as a result of the relocation of the school due to the topography of the location.
“The school is currently going through a phase at the moment -there are presently no permanent building or structure where the students can learn and as such both Seniors and juniors have been merged to other schools by the Lagos state Government after the school land was reallocated for an undisclosed government project. However, they still retain the name of the school”.
“As a going concern, the alumni have always assisted with the provision of laboratory materials in support to the labs which has lacked adequate learning materials since the merger with the other schools. We are also looking at providing other auxiliary support as the need arises in our little way. There is so much me intend to do but limited because the school does not have a permanent site for now”.
He added that the Alumni has written to Lagos state government through the Governor several times for actions to be taken to either relocate the school to a better site or build on the present site even though a large chunk of the land has been allotted to Maracana Stadium. However, we still await a favorable response from them”.
In his words, the former Principal of the school, Mr. Akinbowale Lawrence who was elated at the Reunion Party, said that alumni of schools must make effort to understudy what their alma mater needs and know how to intervene where necessary.
He noted that the state of Reservation School requires the collaboration of government, parents and alumni of the school in the rebuilding of the school, adding that the former governor, Lateef Jakende built the school and sites of the school is waterlog which made it to collapse.
Also, a former CRK Teacher, Mrs. Patience Okoye, who could not hold her joy seeing her former students 27 years after relics her interaction with the students and the values she impacted in them, said that I am happy there were able to organised themselves after these long years.
She urges them to look back at her alma mater and ensure that the school is given a facelift, so that the memory and momentous history of the school is not lost.
