LGEA ECWA Primary School Elesinmeta: A Reflection of the old Good Days!

By Ishola Gbenga

The ECWA Elesinmeta monthly second Sunday service of 12th May 2024, turned out to be a moment of nostalgia as sons and daughters of Elesinmata converged to reflect on the old good days by putting Local Government Education Authority (LGEA), ECWA primary school Elesinmata in focus. The present state of the school, which has no doubt produced prominent personalities in the society became a matter of urgent concern to all as it also offered some specific insights on the way forward in returning the school’s old glory.

With its theme as "The fall of Education in Rural Areas: Way Forward", the guest speaker, Prince Olatunde Reuben Lanre, a retired principal, son of the soil and a product of LGEA ECWA primary school Elesinmata himself, did justice to the topic as mentioned above by taking participants, most of whom were products of the school, down the memory lane.

According to the guest speaker, LGEA ECWA Elesinmeta primary school was founded in the year 1945 and has produced the likes of late Rev Bodunrin, Prof. Olaniyi Joshua Adeniyi, Elder JAK Olatunji, Pastor James J. Olatunji, Mr. Jacob Otunola, and Jonathan Ajiboye known as senior. Looking back, these set of brilliant minds are no more. May their souls find rest.

This same school, I understand also produced the likes of Mr. Johnson Olatunde, Mr. Simon Otunola, Elder Zacchaeus Olabanji, Elder Solomon Oyinlola, Elder David Kareem Baba, Chief Sunday Oyebiyi, Dr. Sunday Iyanda from Okaka Oja, now a lecturer with the University of Ilorin, Mrs. Ebun Akerele, Mrs. Esther Bosede Lawal and many others.

In the 60s and 70s, the school has also produced the likes of late ACP David Olatunde, Elder Divid A. Adesina mni, pastor David Omomeji, Elder Zacchaeus Olatunji, Mrs Ajagbe, Dr. Wale Bamore, Mr. Segun Adeniyi, Prince Ruben Olatunde, Hon. Kayode Adeniyi, Cor. Victor Olatunji (rtd), Mallam Yunusa Aseyori, Mrs, Racheal Olatunde, Elder Joshua Taiye Ishola to mention but a few. It has also produced great people from the neighboring communities by offering them the privilege of education. These are people like Prof. Jacob Aweda from Okaka, Prof. Babatunde Omotowo from Marafa Oja and the host of others.

In his presentation, the resources person highlighted some factors responsible for the challenges the school, LGEA primary school Elesinmeta is facing today, and they are as follow:

Learning Materials: The essential tools required here include well equipped laboratories with required technical equipment, well stocked Libraries with books, and access to computers. As is the case in our public schools, the way students have access to these materials is mostly through their imagination which makes it difficult to practice most of what is needed.

Declining Competence and Commitment of Teachers: Even with the right materials the teachers are unarguably the most important element in formal education. They serve to impart knowledge, guide the learning process and help to bring out the best in students. This is the most unfortunate part of our public schools and the core of the decline in our education system. Many of the teachers allowed into the system lack sufficient qualifications and the ones that possess these qualifications have not been cherished by their employers in government.

Teacher welfare and capacity building has been relegated. Aspiring to be a teacher used to be a prestigious calling and still is in many societies but not anymore. Meanwhile, posting teachers to rural areas such as ours is another problem. Many of them don’t even report for a day before working their ways to be transferred back to their areas of choice, and those that agree to stay comes once or twice in a week, while some don’t even show up at their duty posts, yet they get paid. 

Government: Public office holders charged with management of public institutions at all levels from the school staff to government officials at the local, state and federal levels have to be alive to their responsibilities in directing and controlling the affairs of our public schools. The government needs to go back to those old good days where virtually pupils get everything, they need for free including feeding which rather unfortunately, is another sad story today.

Parents: As it is, the new generational parents (myself inclusive) don’t believe in giving out children for adoption to our parents anymore unlike in those days where a grandma can adopt up to four or more children in a household. This child gets both moral and educational background and are well groomed too. What we see nowadays is how private schools are been promoted over public schools just for the sake of civilization and most of the parents in this category got their fine education and modest background from public schools.

Death and Old Age: Since death as they say is inevitable, it is obvious that many of these committed grannies had gone to the world beyond, and those that are still alive and around have little or no strength to adopt and nurture a child anymore. Such is life. 

I congratulate Prince Reuben Olatunde for that wonderful and a well-researched paper presentation. It came at a time such modest interventions were needed.  

PAPER REVIEW

As a participant myself who, though didn’t attend LGEA ECWA Primary School Elesinmeta, for my leaving school certificate, I was nonetheless given the opportunity to read an abridged citation of the guest speaker before his paper presentation and as it would turned out, I was again called upon to do a brief review of the lecture after the presentation which I did. I seek readers indulgence to share part of it here.

As it were, participants were shocked into attention by an unusual twist to conventional wisdom. There is evidence from the outset of an active reflective mind at work, one that has reflected on matter of public concern and come up with unusual angle with a view to enlightening we the audience and expanding the scope of public discourse by putting LGEA ECWA Elesinmeta primary school in focus.  

For me, the point that needs to be underscored is that public schools have significant social missions they are to fulfill in every society.

They provide access to affordable education. They guarantee equal opportunities for all children and they unify a diverse population. In the peculiar case of our community, the hope of a functional and effective learning is largely dependent on public schools that can reach a large section of people in Elesimeta. Even in advanced societies, the private schools function more in complementary way to serve the elite class of students. Nothing more!

Though, this gathering was in appreciation, promotion and reflection of the school many once attended several years ago in which a discussion of this nature also represents a bridge between the past and the future. I am of the opinion that in most societies, many educational institutions owe their survival and development to the vibrancy and enthusiasm of their alumni associations if there is any. That is one critical area we are yet to tap into as far as LGEA ECWA Elesinmeta is concerned.

An alumni perspective is important on the board of school management because an alumni manager has a good understanding of and a sense of belonging to the school. Alumni members are in a good position to offer advice on the relevance of the curriculum needed. Alumni associations can contribute their knowledge in their specialized areas of expertise and experience necessary for the improvement of management processes and outcomes. But I doubt if we have one in Elesinmeta.

In addressing the decay in our education system back home, we should establish and draw resources from alumni associations. In doing so, the critical areas in our education system will be impacted positively. The way things stand in LGEA ECWA Elesinmeta primary school today, the support of alumni associations is critical to the conceptualization as well as effective implementation of education reforms.

If we must secure the future of this school, we must stand our ground to defend the integrity of the learning spaces.

We must collectively facilitate and intervene to ensure development and progress in the reformation of the school. Our interventions can come collectively or separately. What we should never forget is that there is great reward in giving back to the system that in a way impacted our lives.

Meanwhile, basic learning tools such as Library, computers, and books can be provided by alumni associations. This is another area in which old boys and girls can be of help to our alma mater. As members of alumni associations, your wealth of experience should be an addition to the system you once learned under. We cannot afford to fail in our role and responsibilities. We have so much we can give back to our schools. Our progress, I suppose is tied to the gains we can get from our education system. If we do nothing, the rot will continue and may haunt us all of in the future.

Above all, it is recommended that the government partner with relevant alumni associations to assist them in implementation their education policies and reforms. Even in the areas of evaluating and monitoring these reforms with a view to measuring impacts and performances. Alumni, I need to remind you that education is the bedrock of national growth and development. We all have a part to play. 

In playing this part, we must ensure that we preserve the values and doctrine of LGEA ECWA Elesinmeta primary school.

The session featured questions, answers, observations and contributions from participants. On a convivial note, we were reminded of an old song composed in honour of a horsewhip (koboko), known as ‘Amoke Kenge’ and another song, Labe Igi Opoto, under the fig tree.

 At the end of the Sunday’s brilliant and robust engagement, I believe, I was one of those participants who left with a strong conviction that it is important to start seeing more exemplary ambassadors of LGEA ECWA Elesinmeta primary school who will demonstrate enthusiasm at all times in appreciating and giving back to an institution that contributed significantly to making them what they are today. 

With such dedication there is no doubt that school is destined to attain greater heights in academic excellence. However, the journey to excellence is paved with daunting challenges because even Nigeria’s education sector is in very bad shape. Unfortunately, government, at all levels, has ignored this key area. 

Thank you very much