Fund Insurance Policy in Unity Schools, PTA Tells Govt

The National Association of Parent Teacher Association of Federal Government Colleges (NAPTAFEGC), South-west Zone, has rejected what it described as the imposition of an unnecessary insurance policy scheme on students of unity colleges and called for the standardisation of education in the country.

The association made its position public during its last quarterly meeting at the Federal Government Girls’ College, Akure, Ondo State recently, where chairmen of NAPTAFEGC from the 18 colleges in the zone discussed issues including the way forward for education in the region.

According to the Zonal Coordinator, Rufus Famuwagun, the association, which he described as the strongest stakeholder and partner in progress to the Federal Ministry of Education, is out to defend, uphold and sustain the vision of the founding fathers of unity colleges.

Though the chairmen saw nothing wrong with an insurance policy for their wards, they argued that the federal government has adequate funds to bankroll the insurance policies for the school children and spare their parents the financial burden.

“We believe that the federal government and the Federal Ministry of Education have more than enough funds to finance this insurance scheme if they want it at all cost, the federal government through the ministry should fund it.

“Such burden should not be put on the parents. So we advise the ministry to liaise with the federal government to fund it, if they actually want it to exist. It is a good policy, but we want it funded by the government with our tax and resources.” Famuwagun appealed to parents and school authorities to emulate schools that have sacrificed much to beef up security in their schools, by putting in place perimetre fencing, and by installing gadgets that would help boost security and complement government’s efforts.

“I strongly appeal to the federal government, the education ministry and security agencies to beef up security in all federal government colleges. The federal and state governments should strengthen their intelligence gathering mechanisms to safeguard lives and property in our colleges nationwide especially in the South-west Zone.”

In his remarks, the PTA Chairman of FGC Akure, Akin Ashimolowo, commended the association for its painstaking efforts in ensuring that the standard of education in the country continues to soar higher, and also build on the legacy left behind by the founding fathers of quality education in Nigeria.

Ashimolowo listed some projects embarked on by the association in the different colleges in the zone to include the Skool Media, provision of 75,000-litre tanks for nine hostels with five pumping machines; equipping of college clinic; provision of integrated Closed Circuit Security System (CCTV) with communication gadgets for security men, among others.