Funmi Ogundare
As the 1976 set of the Lagos City College Old Students’ Association (LACCOSA) marks its 50 years since graduating from the establishment, it has reaffirmed its dedication to academic improvement by means of infrastructure provision, scholarships, laboratory rehabilitation and scholar mentorship.
Speaking at a press convention, Monday to herald the anniversary celebrations themed, ‘Uncommon Grace’, the Chairman of the anniversary committee, Dave Nwanze, defined that the affiliation had constantly supported its alma mater, by means of initiatives and initiatives geared toward bettering educating and studying.
He emphasised its interventions within the provision of scholar desks and lockers, water services, solar energy, studying tools and scholarships, including that it has additionally sustained a scholarship programme for 40 college students sponsored by its North American members over the previous three to 4 years.
“The association has also rehabilitated the school’s Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Agricultural Science laboratories, while providing photocopiers, laptops and other essential facilities to support academic activities,” he stated.
The initiative, the chairman famous, has helped beneficiaries enhance their educational efficiency, with some utilizing their outcomes to safe admission into universities.
Beyond infrastructure and monetary help, Nwanze stated the affiliation has additionally organised profession talks, mentorship programmes and different actions designed to encourage college students and put together them for future alternatives.
As a part of this yr’s golden jubilee celebrations, he stated it plans to additional recognise excellent college students within the sciences, industrial topics and humanities, with awards meant to encourage educational excellence and encourage different learners.
The celebrations, scheduled to maintain from October 19 to 24, will characteristic actions designed to reconnect members with their alma mater and strengthen the affiliation’s contribution to training.
On October 21, members will return to Lagos City College for mentorship lectures on the theme, ‘Path to Success’, the inauguration of a company social duty challenge and an interreligious thanksgiving service.
The celebrations, Nwanze stated, will culminate in a grand finale gala night time on October 24, on the Radisson Blu (*50*), GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.
The chairman emphasised that the anniversary theme displays its gratitude to God for sustaining members over the previous 5 a long time and offering a chance to give again to the establishment that formed their adolescence.
The anniversary additionally comes as the varsity prepares to increase its educational choices.
According to him, approval for the institution of a junior secondary faculty part was secured not too long ago, marking a major improvement within the establishment’s historical past.
The improvement, he said, is predicted to present a pathway for youthful pupils to progress from junior to senior secondary training throughout the faculty.
On his assesment of the training sector through the years, an alumnus of the faculty, Kunle Sanyaolu, stated the rising variety of college students, and not using a corresponding enlargement of infrastructure and educating sources, may restrict interactions between lecturers and learners and have an effect on college students’ acquisition of information.
He said that the training atmosphere had modified significantly for the reason that alumni graduated from the establishment 5 a long time in the past.
Sanyaolu recalled that: “Students in our time had more opportunities to interact with teachers because of the relatively manageable number of learners in their classrooms.”
He, nonetheless, expressed concern that the rising scholar inhabitants may make such interactions tougher, notably the place the variety of lecturers and obtainable services had not saved tempo with enrolment.
He stated: “When you have one teacher to so many students, that means the teacher-student ratio becomes a concern. That is something we did not quite experience in our time because we had the opportunity to interact with our teachers.”
Sanyaolu additionally emphasised the stress on faculty infrastructure, citing the meeting corridor, which served college students when the alumni had been in class.
According to him, the services obtainable 5 a long time in the past could not be adequate to accommodate the present scholar inhabitants, doubtlessly creating congestion and affecting the general studying expertise.
He stated these challenges, straight or not directly, may affect the standard of training and data acquired by college students.
Sanyaolu urged stakeholders to pay better consideration to the connection between scholar enrolment, instructor availability and faculty infrastructure in efforts to enhance academic outcomes.
