The Dean of Postgraduate Studies at Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Prof. Tokunbo Adaja, has decried the trend where old students’ associations have become the primary lifeline for public schools in Nigeria.

He lamented that institutions’ alumni now fund renovations, employ teachers, and provide essential learning materials to prevent the system’s total collapse.

According to Adaja, with government funding dwindling and infrastructure decaying, the growing role of alumni is proof of the government’s failure to provide the necessary intervention.

Adaja, who spoke shortly after his election as president of the 1982 set of the Uso Grammar School Old Students’ Association, disclosed that his set had to raise funds from personal resources to renovate parts of the school located in Owo Local Council Area of Ondo State, including plastering and repainting dilapidated buildings, just to create a minimally conducive environment for students.

“From our limited resources, we can also assist because these children are the leaders of tomorrow. We need to provide them with sound education and the necessary resources to achieve their ambitions,” he said.

Meanwhile, he described his election as a call to service and an opportunity to give back to the system that produced him, stating that his two-year tenure would prioritise rebuilding relationships among classmates and mobilising members toward meaningful contributions to their alma mater’s development.

“We want to come together and positively influence the younger generation by making the school more conducive for learning,” he added.