Eighty-two-year- old Sunday Fehintola said he graduated from Government Science School (GSS), Kuru, Plateau State in 1954 and till date has strong attachment to the school by visiting it often even in his old age.

He made the comment shortly after the old boys’ association donated classroom furniture to the school recently.

Established in 1941, the all boys science school which produced notable Nigerians in all fields including former governor of Plateau State Jonah Jang, former minister of defence and now the Ponzhi Tarok, Domkat Bali and former comptroller general of Nigerian Customs and now Gbong Gwom Jos, Jacob Gyang Buba, and many others was facing numerous challenges.

A visit to the school revealed grim picture of infrastructure and the school’s first female principal, Ana Selchum said everything to do with the students was being provided by parents and with the rising cost of living, the demand was taking a toll on the school and parents.

The principal said ex-students of the school under the Kuru Old Students Association (KOSA), set 81 donated desks to the school and that; “books, food and desks are procured by parents. We barely have enough to feed the students with the high cost of food.”

Perhaps most pressing for the school is the lack of adequate science teachers which the principal said was specifically visible in the areas of physics, mathematics and chemistry.

Nonetheless, the state Commissioner of Education, Alex Mairiga said government had just approved the recruitment of 1,000 teachers and that the challenges of the school and other government schools would be addressed.

Selchum said some KOSA members have provided the school with academic facilities since she became principal and urged others to  follow suit.

“Students were squatting in the dining hall until the 1983 set came to renovate the place and provided seats, the 1966 set brought books from their personal libraries and now our library is full. The 1979 set recently provided the students with double bunk beds and we are still appealing for more beds and desks,” she said.

KOSA set 81 had last week handed over 150 double-seater desks of the 250 they promised to provide. The chairman, Bala Tanimu said the remaining 100 desks would come as single seater for the senior class.

Tanimu who was represented by the secretary, Nehimiah Gagara said, “We met  last year and agreed to visit the school. But when we saw the situation, some of us cried because it was bad so we approached the principal and asked her what was the most pressing need and she said the students needed desks so we decided to make 250 available.”

With over 1,000 students, the principal said the government alone could not continue to handle all the school’s challenges and urged KOSA to assist by returning the school to its lost glory. Though KOSA set 81 had assured that they would soon pick another project to complete for the school, the Gbong Gwom, Jacob Gyang Buba, who handed over the desks to the school urged the students to believe in themselves despite the challenges.

Buba said, “In the past we got the best from this school and I believe that if each set were to contribute, the school will have more than enough.”

Fahintola who served as the national president of KOSA before he became coordinator general had promised to serve the school for life.

count | 187

Kuru old boys donate materials to alma mater