The Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Ododo, has directed the renovation of Government Science Secondary School, Lokoja, to improve its infrastructure and provide a conducive learning environment for students.
The school was relocated from the main town to the Zone 8 axis in February 2011 by the administration of the late Alhaji Ibrahim Idris to make way for the take-off campus of the Federal University, Lokoja.
Since the relocation, the school has suffered neglect due to its location, which has also made access difficult for teachers and students, particularly amid rising transportation costs.
The renovation will be undertaken by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum of Former Commissioners in Kogi State, with support from the state government.
Ododo announced the intervention during the distribution of back-to-school materials to students by the forum in Lokoja.
The governor commended the former commissioners for the initiative, describing the provision of educational materials as a gesture that would support students and ease the financial burden on their parents.
He also gave each student ₦2,000 as a personal cash gift.
The items distributed included school bags, exercise books, and uniforms to help students prepare for their academic activities.
In his remarks, the school’s principal, Mr Ojapa Steven, thanked the APC Forum of Former Commissioners for selecting the institution as a beneficiary of the intervention.
He also commended the state government for its education policies, particularly the payment of West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) fees and school fees for students in public schools across the state.
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Steven further acknowledged Ododo’s appointment of a former teacher as deputy governor and the appointment of permanent secretaries from the teaching profession, describing the decisions as recognition of teachers’ contributions to society.
He, however, appealed to the state government to sustain its support for the school and help restore its former standard.
According to him, the quality of education provided in classrooms remains a major determinant of society’s future.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the APC Forum of Former Commissioners, Sani Ogu Salisu, said the intervention was aimed at complementing the state government’s efforts in the education sector and easing the financial burden on parents and guardians.
He said investment in education was essential to sustainable development, adding that providing students with learning materials and rewarding academic excellence would encourage them to perform better.
Salisu disclosed that the forum had introduced an award scheme to recognise outstanding academic performance in selected public schools across Kogi State.
Under the scheme, students who emerge first, second and third in their respective classes will receive cash awards of ₦50,000, ₦30,000 and ₦20,000, respectively, from Junior Secondary School Two (JSS 2) to Senior Secondary School Three (SSS 3).
He said the programme would cover five selected schools across the state’s 21 local government areas to promote healthy academic competition and encourage students to excel.
The chairman urged Ododo to give further attention to Government Science Secondary School, Lokoja, particularly its infrastructure, to help restore the institution’s former standard.
He maintained that the strength of a nation depended on the quality of education provided to young people and the condition of the classrooms in which they learn.
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