Uchechukwu Nnaike
In response to the current demands of the society and the modern labour market, the management of Queen’s College, Lagos has expressed its desire to expand its facilities with the acquisition of an annex for the construction of skills acquisition and entrepreneurship centres to prepare students to thrive in a globally competitive environment.
Presenting her vision tagged ‘Rekindling the Torch of Excellence’ in Lagos recently, the Principal, Mrs. Lami Amodu, said the annex would also address the increasing population at the main campus, as it would provide space for additional classrooms, staff quarters, staff school, among others.
She said the process of developing the vision started with the constitution of a think tank committee, which comprises some professionals, who through careful appraisal of the content of the school’s curriculum and its implementation have developed the practical and actionable initiatives.
Amodu explained that the vision may not be easy for the government to fund especially at this time of recession hence the strategy is to reach out to individuals and corporate organisations that have similar culture of excellence and have benefitted from the qualitative services of the products of the college to buy into the project.
While commending the Australian High Commission for donating a solar-powered water system project, which was inaugurated as part of the event to address the problem of drinkable water in the hostel area, she said the German government through its Solar Power Partnership with the Nigerian government has also indicated its support to extend the project to the school.
In his remarks, a former Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, who was the chairman of the occasion, commended the principal for initiating some positive changes in the school in her short stay. He called on the government to allow stakeholders like old students and parents to co-own the school so that it can be funded sustainably.
Also speaking, the current Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, promised to support the Federal Ministry of Education with the cooperation of the Ministry of Lands Urban Development and other relevant federal ministries to acquire an annex for the college, which is part of the vision and in actualizing other identified projects to fulfill the noble vision of the principal.
The wife of the Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. BolanleAmbode, who commended the authorities of the college for their determination to reposition the school upon noticing a decline in the quality of education it is known for, urged the students to rededicate themselves to academic excellence in line with the philosophy of the school.
The event also featured the presentation of awards of distinction to some old girls for excelling in their chosen professions and their induction into the college’s hall of fame.
