The Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA) has called for territorial protection of all Federal Government Colleges (FGCs) across the country to avoid the issue of land grabbing.
The President-General of the association, Mr Michael Magaji, made this call at the 2023 National Executive Council (NEC) Meeting of the association in Abuja on Saturday.
Magaji, while saying that land grabbing had become a perennial challenge for unity schools, expressed displeasure with a situation at FGC, Kaduna, where there was an attempt to excise part of the school’s land.
”Those Federal Government assets were very instrumental in making us who we are today. We went to those schools, we learned in those schools to excel, we learn to love our country and to live with each other.
”And so, we are always at the forefront of advocating that the territorial integrity of those schools, the content integrity of what is done in those schools are kept for future generations.
”We have had an incident, particularly in FGC, Kaduna, where there is an attempt to excise part of the land of that school and we feel it’s most unfair and that’s what we are trying to address.”
Speaking on schools safety, Magaji expressed concern over incessant kidnapping of school children, saying that school safety was a key element to excellent learning and performance of children.
He called on the Federal Government to continue to review its security architecture in a way that protected the students, so they can learn in a safer environment.
The USOSA president-general added that security was not just the responsibility of the school management, but a regional issue that must involve community and traditional participation.
He also said that the association would soon be hosting its first national sports festival in Lagos to promote unity in diversity.
” The sports carnival is another platform to remind ourselves and our country of the purpose of living together in unity.
”This is because sports bring about diverse talents from everywhere, it teaches team building, how to excel, how to display talent, and that is what Nigeria needs.
”Those are the values we should be promoting. So we need the platform to bring people together as we promote our unity in diversity,” he added.
Also, the Director, Senior Secondary Education Department of the Federal Ministry of Education, Hajia Binta Abdulkadri, said that the FGCs had over the years promoted the country’s common heritage.
Abdulkadri, who was represented by Mr Joseph Achede, Deputy Director in the department, said the ministry would continue to make policies that would yield to the advancement of the sector.
On the postponement of the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) to give some states with lower registration opportunity to register more candidates, Binta called for more sensitization for the examination by state governments.
” The onus lies on the states to intensify their publicity of the NCEE, because the states are more at the grassroots. So, they should aggressively publicize it.
”The federal government is also trying its best but you know these schools are model colleges and very affordable. If you put them side by side with the private schools, the cost of training children in FGCs is quite cheaper.
”And you know, we have the best teachers who are highly qualified and the infrastructure are there.
”So, generally, people want to rush to go to the schools, so there is need to extend the registration to give opportunities to other candidates,” she said.
