By Nkem Okere
A soldier turned educationist and proprietor of Hope-Jon International School, Nasaraea state, Major-General John Nwoga (rtd), at the weekend appealed to the federal government to give equal treatment to both the public schools and it’s private counterpart.
He noted that the private schools came into effect as a result of neglect of standard and structure. That the private sector involvement should be seen as a rescue effort to redeem the school system from the erosion of values.
He bemoaned the preference of government to public schools as running private school is not a tea party.
He also urged the federal government to make more provisions for education in the budget. He decried the low budget allocation to the education sector pointing out that in some cases, communities, Parents Teachers Association (PTAs), contribute money to run some schools including payment of salaries to some categories of teachers.
The retired General who was former Chief of policy in the Nigerian Army, made the appeal at the annual cultural day of the Hope–Jon school where the students contested for honours in cultural dances, food presentation, dressing and dancing.
He explained that the event is held to expose the students to all round education as well as avenue of providing fun and relaxation in this trying time when parents hardly find time to relax for it’s health benefits.
“The aim is for cultural diversion, so that all our children will be back with the cultures of each zone and each tribe. You know, to make the children to know cultures of other tribes and states and so on. So, even the different types of foods each tribe eats. Different types of dances. You can see the bagi dance.
“This is not just to get fun. There’s an educational impact in it. Our school, we just don’t teach children academically. We teach them all around education. All round social, culture, academics and everything. So that the children will grow up to become full-blown children.
“It’s not by our own power. Just God gave us the insight that we should do something like this. And God has been helping us since that time till now and will continue to help us.
Because to run a school like this and be of this standard, you have to put in effort in everything. Both finances, strength, moral and otherwise. And God has been helping us, as I said before.
We want to bring these children to a standard that they can stand out in any way they find themselves”, he emphasized.
