King’s College Principal Solicits Stakeholders’ Support for School’s Devt
Funmi Ogundare
The acting Principal of King’s College, Lagos, Mrs. Elizabeth Ibezim has appealed to corporate bodies and parents to continue to support the school towards its growth and physical development.
Ibezim, who made the call during the school’s 98th annual inter-house sports competition, also admonished parents to support their children in developing their talents so that they can be empowered in future.
She commended the Federal Ministry of Education for intervening in several areas of the college, saying, “part of the evidence of the current efforts by the ministry is seen in the immediate vicinity of the main arena, a new toilet for the use of students, while others are found at different locations of the college.”
She described sports as a viable economic tool rather than just entertainment, saying that talented sportsmen and women are among professionals who are well remunerated in the world today.
“It is the practice of the college to provide quality education that will be the envy of her peers in all ramifications; we would discover talents that would become national heroes and heroines. I also have no doubt that the teachers have fulfilled all righteousness by training the children so that they can showcase their innate and acquired capacity to this gathering.”
The acting principal explained that the essence of the competition is to catch them young and encourage the natural potential in them and also inculcate in them the spirit of fairness, competitiveness and the importance of exercise to healthy living at a young age.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Sunday Echono described sports all over the world as an integral part of formal education due to its invaluable contributions to the physical, mental and emotional development of the learner.
“Sports promotes selfdiscipline, team spirit, healthy rivalry, national and international peace, understanding and cooperation,” he said, adding that the ministry has continued to encourage sporting activities among its institutions in line with its impact.
While commending all stakeholders of the college for their support and dedication to its development, he said, “government is not oblivious of the fact that education of the citizens requires synergy of all and therefore encourages supports for its institutions which should be done within the constitutional provisions.
A former Principal of the college, Chief Oladele Olapeju, who commended the efforts of the acting principal, stressed the need to catch the students by ensuring that they participate in all categories of sports including cheering up participants in sports competition rather than getting carried away with foreign football competitions.
He expressed concern that, “we don’t have serious officials in our sports ministries; they should make it part of their routine duties to monitor what goes on in the school system and ensure that talents are doing well. This is why we are not doing well in world athletics.”