Speaking to newsmen on Saturday 3rd April 2021, shortly after a tour of the school, the Senior Prefect (SP), Class 79 and Chairman of the group, Engr. Jonathan Odega, disclosed that the boarding facility during their time was transformatory.
“Even when children were stubborn, by the time you go to the boarding school within six months, you become a different person. Teachers were here to check on the young people and bring a lot of values to their lives. We have decided to take a visit to see how it is still going to work.
“Happily the classrooms are still intact, a couple of things are better now but the boarding is gone and in our own opinion, it is something that needs to be resuscitated because it adds a lot of values to the lives of the young people.
“The teachers live in the compound and they have a lot of values to be added to the children in checking them and people are well conformed and become a people of great quality and values. Unlike what we are having today, everybody is a day student. It takes more than just the parents to train the children.
“You need people who are also coming from other facets of life to train children, that is where the teacher comes in and that is why in our opinion, the boarding facility need to be resuscitated”.
He disclosed that the issue of the boarding facility is a frontline project in their agenda, noting that they would however listen to the school authority to know what is of immediate concern to the school, pointing out that the body would see what they could do before beckoning on government for assistance.
“People need to be patient, honesty still pays and hardwork cannot be subverted for anything and the fear of God remain pivotal to the progress of the students. They must imbibe hard work and the fear of God, very primarily and fundamental”.
Speaking on “Special Centres”, where parents, teachers and students run to for shortcut, he said: “We never had anything like special centres. All you need to do is to study and you pass your exams. The kind of values we had then was that people will pass from the school straight into the University.
“There was nothing like Special Centres, the teaching we had then was enough. And then of course, we added hard work, we read, we studied very well and that is all I still ask the young people to do. Special Centres cannot help you because even if you pass by reason of special centre, which is an acronym for corruption or going to cheat somewhere, if you go to the University what are you going to do?
“Even if you managed to go through the University using corruption, cheating and all that by the time you come to the real wide world where you have to be employed, the chicken will come to roast and then you will not be able to perform. That is how you see some people carrying papers and they are carrying nothing”.
Another respondent, the SP of Class 75, Prof. Osadennis Egonwa, lamented that the quality of education has fallen compared to his days when teachers and students were more serious following fallen reading culture.
“Some will tell you that education is a scam because on graduation, many are jobless. Which means for us who are their teachers we need to change the curriculum to look at what is obtainable in the society and inculcate it in their curriculum.
He said entrepreneurship should be inculcated in the curriculum, noting that what is obtainable in the school system today does not put food on the table after graduation, calling on stakeholders to act fast, “it should be education for living. What we learned should be able to support our existence or living but so far now, it doesn’t appear to be so”, he stated.
Also speaking, the Principal of the school, Mrs. Stella C. Ajufo, after addressing them at the assembly ground and conducting them round the school, appreciated the Class of 1979 for remembering their Alma Mata and briefed them on the state of the school.
Hear her: “We have received different sets who had come to support the school in one project or the other. The Class of 1994 built us a well. The current ongoing renovation by AGIP is spearheaded by an old student. The library was built by a family that also passed through the school.
“What we need basically now is fencing, refurbishing of our laboratory and equipping of our ICT unit. We are lucky in this school, our Old Boys have never abandoned us. And I know that this will not be different; we will still definitely benefit from the magnanimity of the Class of 1979”, the Principal stated.
Earlier in the day, the group had visited the Traditional Ruler of Issele-Uku Kingdom, His Royal Majesty (HRM) Agbogidi Obi Nduka to intimate him of their mission in Issele-Uku and the plans to contribute in uplifting Pilgrim Baptist Grammar School.
They were highly received and the Obi was happy that 29 of them from various communities and backgrounds were able to come back together to give back to the school that gave them insight for life. He encouraged them to remain united, saying that one who does not know where he started a journey would not know where to end it.
His words, “Your concern for the school you attended is exceptional. This is the best way to promote progress. And I believe this gesture will teach our young ones the lesson to know that when life gives, you don’t have a choice but to give back. As we pray for the Chairman and members of the group, I also want to encourage members to support the Chairman by giving him quality advice that will enhance his leadership capacity for the good of the group”, Obi Nduka advised.
In their reunion meeting on April 3rd, 2021, at Orchid Hotel Asaba, the then Senior Prefect of Class ’79 and Chairman of Orchid Hotels, welcomed members after over 42 years, adding that the reunion had opened a new vista of hope for humanity and also brought back a feeling of nostalgia to the Old Boys of Class ’79.
While speaking on the topic “Encouraging the Less Strong”, the now Chairman of the group used Bible references to draw illustrations to the group’s vision of raising funds to uplift the present standards of the school, especially the need to bring back the Boarding facilities in the school.
According to him, “We recall with nostalgia the good old days in the boarding house. We were knitted together in love, unity and cameraderie and hard-work.
“But the boarding facilities are gone now. Whatever happened, we need to resuscitate it for its benefits of academic excellence. It was fun and exciting having to share quality values with teachers and fellow students. We went through this school and we are the ones to fix the things that had gone wrong, not minding the position of government. They can come in when we need them, but it’s divine for us to contribute our own quota towards uplifting the school.
“I want to advise the younger students of nowadays to endeavour to adhere to hardwork and discipline as a way to go. Hard work and fear of God remains pivotal for academic excellence. There was nothing like Special Centre then, we all studied hard to pass. Special Centre can’t help anybody; it’s just an acronym for corruption. When you have indulged in all of these academic crimes, the real world will definitely expose you.
“So, I encourage us all to collectively bring the transformation that we all desire in PBGS. And I tell you, history will not forget you for advancing the course of humanity”, Odega affirmed.
Meanwhile, the Lead Discussant for the meeting and a renowned former Senior Prefect of PBGS in 1975, Prof. Osadennis Egonwa refreshed his audience’s memories of how the school thrived so much in quality education and discipline in those good old days.
The Professor told them stories that made them felt they were in school again, thereby challenging them on the need to help the school resume the boarding system which then made studying interesting and impeccable discipline that can never be forgotten instilled in the students.
According to him, “Times have changed now, the quality of education has fallen. In those days people were more serious, values were held sacred.
“Unfortunately, some students these days believe that education is a scam. Our young ones now graduate from the University without jobs and some of them that are eager to support themselves go to learn skills. Why can’t schools incorporate entrepreneurship and skills acquisition into the University system, where graduates will not have to scout for job after graduation to put food on their table. My understanding of education is that, it should be education for living”, Prof. Egonwa said.
Another Old Boy of Class ’77 and Lead Discussant, Dr. Chuba Keshi dwelt on “Giving Back To Our Alma Mata”, talking of the need to sustain the educational standards of PBGS, while re-establishing sports especially hockey into the school curriculum. He equally recommended the introduction of basic entrepreneurship training in the school and mentoring through social capital.
The last Discussant, Mr. Wilson Ideva of Class ’79 made his case on “Funding Model for PBGS Class ’79, talked about raising funds through annual dues and fundraising dinners. He expatiated on social capital and its benefit to a group of this nature with a mission for humanitarian service.
