Queens College promoted students without exams – Ex- Principal

Former Principal of the Queen’s College, Lagos, Dr Lami Amodu yesterday said students of the college were promoted last year, without writing promotion examination due to challenge of portable water supply.

Amodu who left the college in February last year disclosed this to the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, chaired by Senator Aliyu Wamakko, probing the death of three students and the poor living conditions at the College.

She said the major challenge of the 90 years old college were over-stretched facilities, over-bloated population and infrastructural decay.

“Till today even almost a year after I left, the water situation remains a problem and students have to be sent home suddenly without writing exams and they were promoted automatically, “she said.

While stressing the need for upgrade of infrastructure at the college, she said parents of the three deceased students were instigated to accuse her of killing their children, so that they could get compensation from government.

A former minister of education, Professor Chinwe Obaji said the major challenges facing the country’s education include overstretched facilities and zero welfare package for teachers.

“Overcrowding in the schools has led to all kinds of anti social activities including lesbianism and others,” she said.

President of the Queen’s College Old Girls Association (QCOGA), Professor Funmi Ajose said the rot at the college was overwhelming, saying there was a time she went to the college and saw millions of maggots at the kitchen.

Also speaking, a former principal of King’s College, Lagos, Mr Sylvester Onoja called for the establishment of National Secondary Schools Education Board to supervise and regulate secondary schools in the country.

Wamakko said his committee would visit two unity schools in each of the six geopolitical zones to have firsthand information about the rot. He said at the end of their findings, they would come up with the best ways to upgrade academic standard of the unity colleges.