Members of Ireti Primary School, Ikoyi Old Students’ Association (IPS-OSA) have underscored the need for the government and well-meaning Nigerians to improve welfare packages of teachers and boost infrastructural development in public schools across the country.

They also donated some tools and planted trees in the school and cautioned pupils against cultism.

They made this known during a ‘Fun Day and Interactive Session’, which was organised in collaboration with the Stanford University Alumni, Lagos Chapter, in the school premises at Ikoyi, Lagos.

Yearly, the Stanford Alumni – Back to the Farm supports projects globally as part of its social responsibility, supporting and sponsoring community projects.

This year, Ireti Primary school was a beneficiary.

Repairs of all conveniences around the school, painting of the school, planting of flowers, among others were done to beautify and encourage the pupils on the importance of giving back to society.

Speaking at the event, the president of the association, Mrs. Omotayo Gbajabiamila-Olamona, advised the pupils to take their education seriously.

Gbajabiamila-Olamona also urged parents and guardians to protect and respect the educational rights of their children.

She said: “The welfare of teachers should be well improved and facilities developed. We just discovered the school is under populated, under utilised and the facilities are going down.

“So, we believe that once the facility gets better and we are able to align with the government to bring good things to this school, we will have a better population and better results.

“Today, we painted the school, installed some facilities like getting the school mops, buckets and most importantly planting trees and employment of cleaners that will be paid to maintain the school.

“We intend to do a lot of things. The truth is, we just want the school to have the standard it had and to look good like the way it was during the 60s and 70s,” the president added.

She appealed to the government to do the needful to boost the image of the school, adding that the environment and the location are good.

Gbajabiamila-Olamona, however, appealed to the government not to abandon the school.

The head teacher of the school, Mrs. Fehintola Doki, extolled the old students for their kind gesture.

She said: “It gives me joy that today is memorable for the old students of this citadel of learning.

“Ireti Primary School was known as one of the best public schools in Ikoyi in the 1950s. With what the old students have done, it will bring the glory of the school back once again.”

She also thanked the staff of the school for their cooperation, adding that the school would continue to move forward.

One of the old students, Mr. Tokunbo King, also enjoined the pupils to take their studies seriously and listen to their parents.

The gesture was provided in collaboration with Stanford University.

Ireti Primary School was founded in 1959 to offer children from low income and working-class backgrounds high quality education.