The Old Students Association of Federal Government Girls’ College, Bida on Friday raised fears over the falling standard of education in Nigeria, saying all hands must be on deck to save the situation.
According to the organisation, the present crop of students, unlike the past, do not take education seriously.
The Global President of the association, Bukola Olatunji, stated these at a press conference in Abuja to commemorate the 48th anniversary of the institution, first global reunion and Annual General Meeting of the association slated for Saturday, October 15 2022.
Olatunji said that although the issue of declining education standard was not peculiar to Nigeria alone, there was a need for individuals and government to come up with practical steps to address the challenge.
“It is not just Unity Schools, something has happened to us. I was among a group of some people that went to visit the United States and they were talking about the issue of people not coming to class but they still got a degree. The quality of education is falling everywhere and it is our duty as individuals to make a difference in our little spaces”, she stated.
Speaking on sexual immorality among secondary school pupils, Olatunji said that over the years, the society had witnessed deterioration in its moral, social and educational values, especially among youths.
She, however, maintained that the core responsibility of child upbringing was on the parents.
Olatunji said, “The issue of sexual immortality is not something peculiar to girl schools or same sex schools, but also even those who never had opportunity going to secondary school.
“I have seen people not educated at all who were homosexuals, lesbians, but more of homosexuals and this happens in every area and is not restricted to one part of the country and not even restricted to one nation.
“Moral training for the girl child is not an assignment for the Federal Government Girls College, Bida, Pls Students Association alone. It is an assignment for every parents to take care of their children and give them strong foundation that would not make them doubt their sexuality.
Olatunji said that the school has produced over 4,000 graduates, who were in practically every field of human endeavour and making their alma mater very proud.
Speaking on the AGM, she said a member of the association and Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Aisha Ahmad, would deliver the keynote address, “while goodwill messages will be delivered by friends and partners of the Association, including the Minister for Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen; First Lady of Niger State, Dr. Amina Abubakar Bello; Africa Director, MacArthur Foundation, Dr. Kole Shettima; and President General of the Unity Schools Old Students Association, Lawrence A. Wilbert.”
“Other activities lined up for the reunion include the presentation of awards of recognition to deserving sisters and organisations, inauguration of chapters, swearing-in of the new Global Executives and other fun activities”, she stated.
The Global Secretary of the association, Angela Atanda, lamented that the problem of insecurity were rampant in virtually all Unity Schools in Nigeria.
She said former students of Unity Schools in the country under the aegis of the Unity Schools Old Students Association, were working with relevant goverment agencies to keep the schools safe.
“The USOSA has been doing so much. The truth is our own association alone can’t go to the government and speak. But we have a national body that speaks on behalf of all Unity Schools in Nigeria and we all know that the problem of insecurity in Nigeria does not apply to Bida. It applies to all Unity Schools in Nigeria.
“Insecurity is not just the North anymore. It has also spread to the South East and South West. It is a problem and we have a situation where security personnel in schools are taking girls from the school and give to men outside.
“The security issues is general and I can say here that USOSA has been working on that with the ministry of education, security agencies to stem the tide”, Atanda stated.
