By Andrew Ikehi
Members of Igbanke Grammar School Development Association (IGSDA), Edo State, said at the weekend that they committed N25m in the last three years to renovate dilapidated buildings and other infrastructure in the school.
President of the Association, Mr. Jacob Erhabor, disclosed this at the weekend in Igbanke, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the State during the third reunion of the old boys and girls of the school held at the school’s compound.
Erhabor, who spoke alongside the association’s project coordinator, Engr. Arthur Osaretin Usiagwu, said that between 2021 and this year, the association has renovated two separate blocks of classrooms; the admin block and a chemistry laboratory for N24.9m.
The duo, in their separate remarks at the event, which saw a cream of the old boys and girls from within and outside the country in attendance, bemoaned what they described as the infrastructural decay and near absence of government presence at the school.
They noted that the need to give back to the society and, particularly, the school that birthed the positions they are enjoying today, was part of what informed their developmental strides at the school which they promised would be sustained.
Looking unhappy with the current state of the school, which they described as one of the best in the then Bendel State, the duo who were also joined by other members of the alumni, called on the Edo State Government to step up its educational policies just as they further described the school as a shadow of its former self.
Giving a breakdown of the alumni intervention so far at the School, Engr. Usiagwu said that in 2021, the association spent N15m in rehabilitating the administrative block, while in 2023, it spent about N9.9m in renovating the chemistry laboratory and other classrooms in the school.
On his part, the Chairman of the occasion, Squadron Leader Sunday Ngegu (rtd), lauded the efforts of the association just as he stressed the need for governments at all levels to begin to match words with action in relation to educational development.
High point of the event was the presentation of award of academic excellence to six students of the school who distinguished themselves during the two previously held West African School Certificate (WASC) examinations.
The awards, our correspondent reports, was at the instance of the Association’s President, Mr. Jacob Erhabor.
