The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Professor Edoba Omoregie, has expressed his institution’s readiness to partner with secondary school managements that are desirous of supporting the career prospects of their students while improving the learning environments of such schools.

Professor Omoregie made the disclosure recently while unveiling a set of learning materials donated to Niger College, Benin City, by the 1985 Set of the school’s Old Students Association (NICOSA) as part of the set’s 40th anniversary celebrations.

Represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Victor Igbineweka, the university don stated that NICOSA can partner with UNIBEN for regular professional training of teachers already posted to the school.

Thanking the old students’ association for its contribution to the development of secondary education, he said further that any Niger College student who chooses UNIBEN as their first choice and scores 200 and above in JAMB will be eligible for admission into the university, while any staff of the school who applies for higher degree programmes at UNIBEN would also be assisted to realise their dream.

Speaking after presenting 70 sets of desks and chairs for students, as well as 20 chairs and large tables for teachers of the school, the 1985 Set Coordinator, Mr Oghogho Arthur Obayuwana of the ECOWAS Commission, Abuja, noted that alumni associations have a great role to play in the overall upliftment of their alma maters.

Obayuwana, who is a former Foreign Affairs Editor of The Guardian, said that the desire to give back to society through group corporate social responsibility was key to the realisation of the humble gesture.

He disclosed that plans are afoot to galvanise the larger body of old boys and girls to step up efforts and lift the spirits of many more students of Niger College, as one sure way of halting the disturbing trend of cultism in secondary schools at an early stage.