By John Dike, Osogbo
Fifty years after its establishment, Community Grammar School, Otan-Ile, Osun State, has appealed to the state government to deploy more teachers to the institution to address the shortage affecting teaching and learning.
The Chairman of the school’s 50th Anniversary Committee and one of its pioneer students, Pastor Sanya Ebenezer Adelola, made the appeal on Saturday during the anniversary celebration held at the school premises.
Adelola, who recalled that the school was formerly known as Methodist Grammar School, Otan-Ile, expressed concern over the drastic decline in the number of teachers at the institution over the years.
He said the school had between 35 and 40 teachers when he was a student, including expatriate teachers from Sri Lanka, India and Ghana, but now has only four teachers deployed by the state Ministry of Education.
“When we were in school here, we used to have between 35 and 40 teachers, including expatriates from Sri Lanka, India and Ghana. But today, we have just four teachers from the Ministry of Education.
“If not for the efforts of the old students who sponsor PTA teachers, the students would have been in serious trouble. We appeal to the government to look into this situation and deploy more teachers to the school,” he said.
According to him, the intervention of the old students had helped to cushion the effect of the manpower shortage, with the alumni sponsoring Parent-Teacher Association teachers to complement the government workforce.
Adelola also urged parents to take greater responsibility for the upbringing and education of their children, stressing that teachers could not single-handedly shape the character and future of students.
He charged the students to remain focused, work hard and develop clear goals for their future, saying determination, discipline and perseverance were necessary for success.
Speaking on his vision for the institution, Adelola said the old students needed to build a stronger and more organised alumni association capable of providing sustainable support for the school.
He said the association’s intervention should go beyond sponsoring PTA teachers to include the construction and equipping of a modern library, improvement of school infrastructure and provision of other facilities required for effective teaching and learning.
Also speaking, the Coordinator of METHSECO Old Students and President of Otan-Ile Progressive Union Home and Abroad, Hon. Bello Saliu Bamidele, recalled how he became involved in efforts to revive the old students’ association after visiting the school in 2017.
Bamidele said he was disturbed by the condition of the school during the visit and subsequently mobilised other former students to commence efforts aimed at improving the institution.
He disclosed that the association, which initially had only 17 members, had since expanded and contributed resources towards the renovation of school facilities and the payment of PTA teachers.
According to him, the alumni had at various times sponsored as many as 10 PTA teachers, compared with the four teachers currently provided by the government.
Bamidele expressed optimism that the school would become one of the leading secondary schools in the local government and Osun State within the next decade.
He cited the recent achievement of one of the school’s students, who was recognised among the state’s top-performing candidates in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and subsequently awarded a scholarship, as evidence of the potential within the institution.
In his welcome address, the Principal of the school, Gbotoso K.O., described the 50th anniversary as a significant milestone in the history of the institution.
Gbotoso appealed to the government, old students, parents and other stakeholders to support the establishment of a modern Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centre, equipping of the science laboratory and protection of the school’s land from encroachment
He also appealed for assistance for indigent students who might be unable to pay their West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) fees.
The first teacher of the school, Mr Ezekiel Ibikunle, who reflected on the early years of the institution, recalled that he once performed the duties of teacher, principal and vice-principal simultaneously.
Ibikunle expressed delight that the school had survived and continued to produce successful graduates five decades after its establishment.
He urged former students to strengthen their contributions to the development of their alma mater, stressing that the continued progress of the institution required the collective commitment of alumni and other stakeholders.
Earlier, the Owa Afole of Otan-Ile, Oba Michael Tolulope Adetona, commended members of the alumni association for their commitment to the development of their alma mater.
The traditional ruler described the alumni interventions as a demonstration of love and responsibility towards the community.
Oba Adetona urged sons and daughters of Otan-Ile, both at home and in the diaspora, to unite and work together for the development of the ancient town.
He stressed that sustainable development could only be achieved when indigenes and other stakeholders pooled their resources, ideas and experiences to address the needs of the community
The monarch said the progress recorded by the school over the years should serve as a reminder of what could be achieved through collective effort, urging the people of Otan-Ile to sustain the spirit of cooperation for the benefit of present and future generations.
The 50th anniversary celebration brought together former students, teachers, parents, students, community leaders and other stakeholders, who reflected on the history of the institution and renewed their commitment to its future development.
