Prof. Mike Ozekhome has called on the government of Senator Monday Okpebholo to come to the rescue of public schools in Edo State.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria made this call while speaking with newsmen at the commissioning of a 10 room coppers’ lodge at St Peter Grammer School, Agenebode on Saturday 28th Dec 2024.
Regarding the poor state of the secondary schools in Edo State, Pro Ozekhome lamented saying; “For too long, governments of Edo State ignored the secondary schools; ignored the welfare of the teachers to the extent that most teachers you see in secondary schools today are mostly youth coppers who just come in flash and go away. In our time, people embraced teaching as a profession, and they were happy with it. Some of them stayed 20 – 25 years committed. But the state government has not been helping. They put up white elephant projects so that they can receive the clapping and applause of the public more like playing to the gallery while the real institutions that germinates future leaders such as the secondary schools are ignored.”
Prof. Ozekhome therefore called on the government of Senator Monday Okpebholo to, as a matter of urgency, come to the rescue of the schools and give them a new face.
He said; “I will therefore call on the new government of Senator Monday Okpebholo to quickly come to the aid of secondary schools, particularly those that were built in the sixties. Seventies and the eighties to rebuild them, provide welfare to the teachers so that life will be comfortable for the teaching profession and the students.”
The Coppers’ lodge was built by the St Peter Old boys Association being greatly facilitated by Prof, Mike Ozekhome; a member of the 1974 set of the school. This was built to provide accommodation for coppers that come to serve out their primary assignment in the school.
Prof Mike Ozekhome called on all old students of the school to join hands together to support the school as it yearns for attention to fix its numerous needs having been neglected for a long time. He called on them not to forget their root and how the school contributed to their current economic and social status.
“Let us join hands together and let us work as a team. Alma mater should never forget their root, they should remember that the river that forget its root dries up; that we schooled somewhere; that we didn’t just achieve our present honors, accolades, wealth and fame from the sky. It started from somewhere. After primary school, the real place where you get everything internalize in you, is the secondary school. I encourage all of us to participate in our work to ensure that we rebuild this school, so that all the dilapidated structures am currently seeing will be renewed”; said Ozekhome.
