Omolabake Fasogbon
Amid growing concerns over moral decline among school children, the Unity Senior Secondary School Old Students Association (USSSOSA) has renewed calls for counselling and guidance in basic schools to stem negative trends.
The call came as USSSOSA unveiled a newly built secretariat donated to its alma mater in Lagos, designed to attend to students’ varied needs.
Also announced by the association was a N2.5 million scholarship scheme for indigent students, alongside routine maintenance of the renovated school facility and the donation of educational materials, including notebooks, received by the school’s Acting Vice Principal, Mr Olukoya F.J.
Chief among the drives for the facility was concern over social problems among young people and schoolchildren, believed can be averted through early guidance.
Recent reports have linked counselling deficits in schools to student dropouts, career mismatches, and increasing social ills.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT), Sir Jude Chiedu stressed that most school-age children fall victim or derail from their dreams because they lacked foundational guidance, noting that not all character flaws should be met with punishment.
Chiedu recalled a secondary school colleague who turned to robbery and was eventually killed, saying timely guidance could have put him on the right track.
He stated that the secretariat is equipped to offer quality guidance and counselling alongside mentorship to help students get it right from the start.
“This secretariat will bring the old students closer to the school stakeholders, including students, teachers, and even parents to ensure that challenges that could impede learning are addressed.
“We understand that when either parents or children are going through difficulties, children’s learning is affected psychologically. That’s why parental wellness is also a top priority for us”,Chiedu added.
Similarly, BOT Secretary, Edith Nwankwo spoke on how early help and counselling can shape a child’s future, drawing from her own experience.
“As a student, I recall a teacher, like an angel, approaching me to say, ‘Do you know you have all it takes to be great and make it in life?’ Those words stuck with me and have had an enduring influence on me till date. The same can be said to children of today to encourage them,” she said.
USSSOSA President, Pastor Nelson Azonobi appreciated the school’s management for their support in making the secretariat a reality.
He charged the school on proper maintenance of facility, while calling on all alumni to keep up consistent support to keep secretariat goals alive.
Chiedu further warned against commodifying the facility, stressing that it is for the use of all alumni and everyone aligned with the school’s development.
He charged the school to ensure accountability of all donations so that all gestures benefit students directly.