Follow Us on Google
Members of the United Christian Secondary School Old Students’ Association (UCOSA), Apapa, Lagos have pledged replace the school’s decrepit infrastructure. They have committed the school’s 60th anniversary to revamping the school’s dilapidated structures.
“We can’t be celebrating when our school is in a mess. Rather than bring out the drums and celebrate lavishly, our Alumni/Alumnae who are based across the world, are using the anniversary with the theme “Giving Back“ to massively retool the infrastructure of the school that has gone decrepit as a result of many years of government takeover,” said the Alumni President, Mr Tony Iyare
“Our members are of the firm belief that they can’t be celebrating when the school is in shreds and when students are learning under conditions that are worse than that of the early man.
“If you go round the school, it is largely replete with broken windows, desks, chairs, doors, ripped white boards, ramshackle buildings, dingy classrooms and a very insipid environment which is not congenial to learning. For those who attended the old school with its beautiful flowers and impeccably cut grasses and with learning conducted under some of the best atmosphere, they simply weep each time they are here,” he recalled.
Iyare, an editor and former special adviser to former Edo State Governor, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, said the alumni decided to put on hold their planned luncheon. But a thanksgiving service would hold on October 15 to be followed by Career talk and prize giving ceremony.
Iyare said the school is in urgent need of rehabilitation in many areas, including agric and home economic laboratories, classrooms, staff rooms, offices of the principals and more.
“The alumni association is also supplying desks, chairs and standard white boards,” Iyare said.
The school was formally opened on October 15 1960 by then Minister of Education, Hon Aja Nwanchukwu. It was gathered that problems started with the change of ownership in 1975 following the takeover from the Anglican, Baptist and Methodist missions. It was gathered that the school was founded primarily to suit the need of the Industrial Apapa Community; hence the curriculum emphasized commercial subjects and secretarial studies at its inception. Indeed, many distinguished professionals in different fields have been produced by the school, which later added science and other technical subjects in the 80s.
Since early 2000, the old students have been working to have the mission owners reclaim the school. The move recently elicited positive responses as the Anglican, Methodist and Baptist Missions have kick started the process to endorse a joint application to demand the school from the Lagos State Government.
Iyare said the real rebuilding process would start once the former mission owners take back their school.
The alumni association appealed to the Lagos State Government to urgently clear the brothels and alcoholic shops around the school premises.
“Apart from presenting a security crisis for the school and members of UCOSA who hold meetings there, they are also constructed on drains which itself is a violation of the environmental laws of the state. Against the backdrop of some recent ugly developments in the state and around the country, it has become imperative to ensure that students learn in very secured and safe condition.”
It also wants government’s assistance for the road leading to the school from Liverpool Road to be extended beyond the gate “so that the debris perennially collecting around the entrance and which defaces its look can be effectively checked.”
UCOSA also urged the government to construct a new 18-classroom block to replace the entire decrepit prefab, otherwise called Jakande buildings dotting the school and posing danger to the students. The body also wanted government support to ensure that the school’s properties that have been lost to trespassers are urgently retrieved.
“We are also pleading with both the Federal and Lagos State governments to urgently renovate the neighbouring Queen’s Barracks meant for the police which have become an eyesore and pose some menace to the school,” Iyare stated.
