ADHSOSA Advocates Alumni Action To Rebuild Nigeria’s Public Schools
•••As 2000 Set Sponsors WAEC For Students
•By OYENIYI KAZEEM
IBADAN – THE Old Students’ Association of Ansar-ud-Deen High School, Liberty Road, Ibadan (ADHSOSA), has urged alumni associations across Nigeria to take deliberate responsibility for the revival of public secondary schools, warning that continued reliance on government alone could further worsen the education crisis.
The call was made on Saturday during the 2026 Annual Reunion of the association held at the school hall in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Addressing the gathering, the National President of ADHSOSA, Prince Olatunji Ridwan Olanrewaju, said the worsening condition of public schools nationwide made alumni intervention no longer optional.
“This reunion is not about enjoyment alone. It is a call to responsibility,” Olanrewaju said.
“Once you pass through a school, you become a custodian of its legacy. If we do nothing, that legacy will decay before our eyes.”
He described the state of Ansar-ud-Deen High School as a reflection of the challenges facing many public schools across the country.
“As we speak today, there is no single fully habitable classroom in this school. There is a serious shortage of furniture, and teaching resources are grossly inadequate,” he said.
“These are not things we should ignore or explain away.”
The ADHSOSA president urged alumni sets to adopt sustainable funding models rather than one-off interventions.
“If every set commits just ₦50,000 monthly, or if members contribute ₦1,000 each, we can change the face of this school in a short time,” he said.
“This is not too much to ask from a school that gave us our foundation.”
Olanrewaju noted that despite limited resources, the current executive had intervened in key areas, including the payment of SSCE fees for indigent students, support for inter-house sports competitions and assistance to retired principals and a former teacher in need.
“We did all this even when many sets had not paid their annual dues,” he said. “That shows that with collective commitment, we can do much more.”
Speaking as guest lecturer, Dr. Moshood Abiola lamented what he described as years of neglect of public schools by government, stressing that alumni had become a critical lifeline.
“Government has a lot on its table, and while that is not an excuse, the reality is that many schools are suffering,” Abiola said.
“If alumni do not step in, some of these schools may collapse completely.”
Recalling his earlier involvement with the school, he said,
“There was a time when a whole building here had no roof for over a year. Students were exposed to sun and rain. If we had waited for government, maybe nothing would have happened till today.”
Abiola argued that free education remained essential for national development, citing the free education policy of the old Western Region.
“Free education helped the West to develop faster than other regions,” he said.
“But it must be holistic. Even if tuition is free, uniforms, books and examination fees still shut many children out of school.”
He cautioned against the wholesale return of public schools to private or missionary ownership, saying it could further exclude children from poor backgrounds.
“If schools are returned to private hands, fees may become unaffordable,” he said. “Government must wake up, fund education properly and also invest in teacher training and standards.”
A major highlight of the event was the announcement by the Year 2000 set of its sponsorship of WAEC fees for 12 students.
The Set Governor, Alhaji Tahoeed Ademola, said the gesture was motivated by the economic realities facing many parents.
“Education is the bedrock of success,” Ademola said.
“Most students in public schools today come from homes that cannot afford WAEC fees. Rather than allow brilliant students to be denied a future, we decided to step in.”
He explained that the beneficiaries were selected across science, commercial and arts classes from both schools.
“If these students can pass their WAEC and move on to higher education, they can impact society and even come back to give to this school,” he said.
Ademola urged other alumni to stop waiting for government action.
“Many schools today are being lifted by their alumni,” he said. “We should give back through infrastructure, student sponsorship, mentorship and even job connections. That is the true essence of an alumni body.”
Principals of School 1 and School 2, Mrs. Ogundele Monsurat and Mrs. Somotan Mujidat, respectively, praised the Year 2000 set for the intervention.
“This sponsorship has lifted a huge burden off the shoulders of parents,It has also motivated the students to take their studies more seriously,” Ogundele said.
Somotan added, “When students see that their old students care, it gives them hope and confidence that they can succeed.”