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Stakeholders urge revamping of education sector as Dowen College marks 18

By Ujunwa Atueyi
15 October 2015   |   4:34 am
Former Minister of Cooperation and Integration in Africa, Dr. Bimbola Ogunkelu, has charged the Federal Government to overhaul the country’s education system to enable it throw up professionals that would oversee the affairs of the nation.   Ogunkelu, a consultant physician and cardiologist is of the opinion that the future remains bleak for any nation…
Guest of Honour and Former Minister of African Integration Dr, Bimbola Ogunkelu (left); Chairman, Board of Governors, Dowen College Lagos, Dr, Olumide Phillips; his  wife Olutoyin; Managing Director, Treasurenest Nigeria Limited, Reverend Titilayo Aladekomo and Principal, Dowen College, Mrs, Olawunmi Togonu-Bickersteth at the 18th Founder’s Day Anniversary Service and Prize-Giving Ceremony of the School in Lekki, Lagos at the weekend    			               PHOTO: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUT

Guest of Honour and Former Minister of African Integration Dr, Bimbola Ogunkelu (left); Chairman, Board of Governors, Dowen College Lagos, Dr, Olumide Phillips; his<br />wife Olutoyin; Managing Director, Treasurenest Nigeria Limited, Reverend Titilayo Aladekomo and Principal, Dowen College, Mrs, Olawunmi Togonu-Bickersteth at the 18th Founder’s Day Anniversary Service and Prize-Giving Ceremony of the School in Lekki, Lagos at the weekend PHOTO: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUT

Former Minister of Cooperation and Integration in Africa, Dr. Bimbola Ogunkelu, has charged the Federal Government to overhaul the country’s education system to enable it throw up professionals that would oversee the affairs of the nation.
 
Ogunkelu, a consultant physician and cardiologist is of the opinion that the future remains bleak for any nation that pays lip service to education as lack of quality education would adversely affects the youths in the long run.
 
Speaking during the 18th Founder’s day/prize-giving ceremony of Dowen College, Lekki, he stated that schools should be well structured to groom responsible youths, who would take over the country’s leadership in the years ahead.  

He said, “There is no future for any country where the youths are not brought up properly because the youths of today are the leaders of tomorrow. Without good education, our youths would hardly be responsible professionals and experts. We must go back to basis and revamp our educational system for good.”
 
While congratulating the college for its numerous academic achievements in the last 18 years, he urged the students to continue to work hard so as to excel in life.
 
He also charged teachers and the school’s management to continue to give their best to the students, so they can become responsible leaders.
 
Chairman of the school’s board of governors, Dr. Olumide Philips, stressed the need for government to give appropriate attention to the education sector and tap from its immense benefits.
 
He said vibrant policies that would ensure that a large number of youths were independent upon graduation should also be created.
 
“As an employer and educationist, the main challenge is that there is no market for these products we are turning out. The economy is not good and we hope it gets better. I believe that once the infrastructure in the country is improved for the benefit of our youths, the economy will boom and we would have better opportunities for them,” he said.
 
“Dowen College, established in 1997 has, to the glory of God, been the catchment areas for the best. We have been a school of choice and the results in both curricular that we do (the IGCSE and WAEC) have been excellent over the years. We have always recorded 100 per cent success rate in external examinations … This has been our pride and our sustaining power.”
 
In her word of exhortation themed “Strength for Today and Brighter Hopes for Tomorrow,” the guest speaker and Managing Director, Treasurenest Limited, Rev Titilola Aladekomo, challenged the students to continually be the beacon of hope to the people in despair.
 
She said, “It’s heart warming to know that students in this school are already socially responsible, donating towards cancer awareness. A Chinese adage, credited mostly to Confucius, says ‘It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness’.

What this simply means is that rather than complaining, do something about the situation at hand. This has been the bane of our society.”

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