The year 2000 set of Ejigbo High School (EHS) in Ejigbo Local Government Area, Lagos, on Wednesday, donated gift items and held career talks and rewarded outstanding performances among the students.
In his opening remarks, President of the association, Idowu Raheem Gbadegesin, disclosed that the event marked the 25th anniversary of the association and the celebration of academic excellence, hard work and dedication of both the teachers and students.
He expressed deep appreciation to teachers, staff, and parents for their steadfast support in nurturing the students. ‘Your tireless efforts have enabled our students to grow and flourish and excel in their academics,’ he said.
He also commended their perseverance and commitment to excellence, while lamenting the shortage of teachers in schools across the state.
‘We have observed a sharp decline in the academic performances of the students, both in the internal and external examinations, as well as moral decadence. We deemed it fit to inspire and motivate them towards academic excellence.
‘I want to appeal to the Lagos State Government to recruit more teachers because many teachers are retiring and need to be replaced. The government need to employ more qualified teachers. We need to keep organising career talks to motivate students who have no interest in learning and instil discipline. Schools in Lagos state need government intervention in the area of modern learning gadgets and ICT equipment,’ he said.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of prizes to outstanding students who excelled academically and demonstrated leadership and creativity.
He congratulated the awardees, stating that their accomplishments reflected the school’s tradition of excellence and its commitment to developing well-rounded individuals.
As part of the event, a career talk was held by professionals from various fields who shared valuable insights about their careers, challenges, and lessons learnt.
An old student, Bunmi Ademoroti, reminded the students that success extends beyond academic performance.
‘It is about developing a growth mindset, embracing challenges, and staying true to your values,’ she advised.
She urged them to be innovative, resilient, and curious as they prepare for the future.
‘What defines who you are?’ she inquired. ‘You must define your path in life. This is the first step to becoming a success story. You must give yourself an adjective that defines who you are. When I was admitted to study medicine at the University of Benin, life happened, and I found myself studying Banking and Finance, where I graduated. In the labour market, jobs were not forthcoming, but because I was resilient and determined, I found myself in the IT world.
‘I began to do things I knew nothing about. I found myself doing content and managing social media platforms, and that was where I started my IT journey of digital marketing and branding,’ she motivated.
A chartered accountant, also an ex-student, Tijani Ibrahim, called on the government to make teaching jobs more lucrative so as to encourage more people into the profession.
He said, ‘The standard of education has really fallen. It wasn’t like when we were students during our days. Students came late, which wasn’t the case during our days. You have to be on the ground by 7:30 am. When we talk about the standard of education, we look at the angle of the government, the teachers and the students.
‘My advice is that we should instil more discipline in the students. Career talks should be organised very often to serve as a guide to the students. It is when you know your purpose in life and choose a career path that you cannot help but remain focused on achieving it.
‘On motivation for the teachers, many of the teachers found themselves in the profession accidentally. The interest is not there. The government need to incentivise teaching to encourage more qualified hands into the profession.’
The principal of Ejigbo Junior High School, Shobowale, congratulated members of the old boys on their resolve to give back to the school that shaped and sharpened their academic teeth.
He expressed hope that the celebration would inspire everyone to aim higher while affirming the school’s commitment to building a brighter future for its students and the community at large.