Let’s Partner to Move Education Forward, USOSA Tells FG

Let’s Partner to Move Education Forward, USOSA Tells FG

The Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA) has offered to partner the Federal Government towards moving the education sector forward.

The association made the offer while introducing to the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, an e-learning solution it created for deployment to the 104 Unity Schools and other schools across the country. The e-learning platform was designed by Study Lab for USOSA as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of the ways the association can collaborate effectively with the Federal Government, according the President General of USOSA, Lawrence Anirejuoritse Wilbert, is for the government to upgrade membership of the association in Schools Based Management Committee (SBMC) to leadership position.
He urged the minister to facilitate the review of the SBMC to empower the alumni association to occupy leadership position, where it can contribute more meaningfully towards actualising the objectives of the committee, the ministry and the Federal Government.

According the association, the choice of SBMC chairman should be a respectable locally-based member of the alumni association, who will give periodic reporting of SBMC activities to the office of the minister
He told the minister that before the new e-learning platform was created, the association had worked assiduously to contribute its quota to the development of Unity Schools across the country.

Some of the contributions, according to him, are the construction of new hostels/dormitory and classroom blocks; renovation of old hostels/dormitories and classroom blocks; construction of new toilets and bathroom complexes in hostels; and supply of classroom furniture.
He also listed supply and installation of power generating plants; installation of water borehole and reticulation systems reconstruction/renovation and upgrading of sick bays, among others.
He called on the minister to involve members of the association in reorganising the admission process of all the Unity Schools.

On the new e-learning platform, he said: “We seek collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education to deploy a comprehensive learning management system (USOSA Virtual Schools (UVS) solution), which the experts in USOSA have developed to meet the current needs of our centres of educational excellence and surmount some of the teaching/learning challenges posed by the COVID-19.”

USOSA also stressed the need to review the current schools admission policy to
reduce significantly the intake volume, to align with the capacity of the various schools to adequately cater for the students; and enhance security for students and staff.
It commended the ministry for efforts for building perimeter fences and raising awareness of the need for all stakeholders, particularly around the schools to be vigilant and security conscious.

It also sought collaboration to address the issues of school-related gender based violence (SRGBV), saying “We will like to seek a specific appointment with you and your team to adequately discuss this matter, develop an action plan to eradicate these in our schools and all schools in Nigeria.”

In his remarks, the USOSA Vice President General, Michael Magaji, explained that the platform was designed to boost students’ performance in the country as part of
association’s contribution to the education sector in Nigeria.
Magaji emphasized the need for collaboration and endorsement of the platform by the ministry of education for effective deployment across the country.

In his remarks, the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, promised that the ministry would collaborate with the association in the deployment of the e-learning platform.
He also commended USOSA for their various contributions to their alma maters.

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