By Folayimika Akanbi
Members of alumni under the auspices of Titcombe College, Egbe Old Students Association (TCEOSA) have expressed concern over the recurring low budgetary provision for education sector in the country, describing it as worrisome.
They also lamented the dilapidation of facilities in public schools including mission schools.
The President of TCEOSA, Dr Ruth Abiola Adimula, said this in Ilorin on Friday while addressing Journalists alongside members of her executive and Board of Trustees as part of activities commemorating the 75th anniversary of the college.
Adimula, who identified education as a legacy to bequeath to the next generation of leaders, urged the federal and state governments to earmark adequate fund for education sector in the interest of the future of the nation.
She also expressed displeasure over the monthly salary of teaching staff in secondary and primary schools, saying that poorly remunerated teachers would not be productive as expected.
Adimula, a former Chairperson of International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in Kwara State, noted that poor salary had caused brain drain in the education sector, with some of the teachers moving out for greener pasture.
“The call on the federal government to fund education is very deliberate by the members of Titcombe College, Egbe Old Students Association. If you check the budget of the federal government, the amount allocated to the education sector is always very low.
“Meanwhile, education is key. This is what we can do as legacy for the children not only in respect of giving them good education but to be able to stand in the appropriate position to lead this country when it is their turn.
“We discovered that we have a lot of dilapidation in public schools, including mission schools that the government had acquired. Teachers are not well paid. Students are not taught as and when due. And yet these students are the next generation of our existence that suppose to take the country to the next level.
“As a result of this, we have seen a lot of brain drain that is negatively affecting our growth in this country. On this note, we believe that if the federal government improves allocation to the education sector, we will have some of these youths staying back.
“And all the intellectual resources we had put in then, will be used for the benefit of this country instead of going to another country to develop another man’s land. That is why we have called on the federal government to improve allocation to the education sector,” she said.
The TCEOSA President, who also commented on the spate of security challenges in the country, called for inter-agency partnership, especially among security formations to combat the scourge to a standstill.
Adimula said, “On the issue of insecurity, some of us have been affected one way or the other. But the truth is, for us to be able to overcome this, there is a need for inter-agency collaboration with the federal government where by the military, the Nigeria Police, the Civil Defence and all the para-military organizations work hand in hand to be able to fight it.
“It is not something that one security outfit can overcome. So, what we can say is just to appeal to the federal government to ensure that we bring all these military and para-military bodies together to battle this event in the form of inter-agency partnership and collaboration.
“Each of them, they are doing their best to ensure that we minimize and if possible, to put an end to these security challenges.”
On the achievements of the association, Adimula disclosed that TCEOSA, in collaboration with Senator Sunday Karimi of Kogi West, had constructed a Computer-Based Test (CBT) centre for their alma mater and had since been put to use.
She also revealed that no fewer than 18 teachers of Titcombe College are currently on the payroll of the old students’ association in its bid for quality education for students of the school.
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