The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali (OON), has assured staff and students of Unilorin Secondary School, (USS) of continuous support of his administration in order to improve their welfare and uplift the academic standard of the school.
Ambali gave the assurance at the 27th Graduation, Speech and Prize Giving Ceremony of the USS, held at African Hall, University of Ilorin mini campus, at the weekend.
The Vice Chancellor, who was the Guest of Honour on the occasion, said the authority of the University of Ilorin had this year confirmed the appointment of all the school staff that were due and promoted all those qualified for the 2016 staff promotion exercise. He added that the promotion will be a regular exercise.
Prof. Ambali, who was represented on the occasion by the Chairman of the Board of the USS Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services), Prof. Adebayo Abdulkareem, also disclosed that the Board had just established a clinic in the school to cater for the immediate health needs of staff and students.
He commended the former Head of the Department of Anatomy, University of Ilorin, who doubles as a member of the USS Board, Dr (Mrs.) M.S. Ajao, for the significant role she played in the establishment of the clinic.
He explained that the Board was considering the possibility of giving merit awards to deserving members of staff every session in addition to establishing a Quality Assurance Committee for the school.
“We would continue to ensure prudence and accountability in managing the school’s finances,” the Vice-Chancellor said, adding that “this is why we are able to fund the school’s programmes, projects and staff development and promotion”.
Prof. Ambali said, “We have put up a committee to review the school’s staff conditions of service. We assure you all that once approved, we shall continue to implement the contents to the letter, again for improved performance”.
In her lecture, the Head of the Department of Social Sciences Education, Dr (Mrs.) Olabisi Olawuyi, whose lecture was titled, “Adolescent Literacy: The Challenges and Prospects”, called on graduating students to familiarise themselves with the current trend of ICT and use it to develop their skills and potentials.
Olawuyi, who described the adolescence as a stage of confusion, urged the students to tap from the viable benefits of computer and discard the habit of using ICT for fraud or other unruly activities that are against the laws of the land.
In her address, the USS Principal, Mrs. S.N. Jaiyeola, noted that the school is a centre of excellence in terms of academic performance, pointing out that the school has several laurels, to attest to this.
Jayieola identified the lack of a well-furnished library, 18-seater bus to convey staff and students to competitions, inadequate office furniture, insufficient social amenities like water and the uncooperative attitude of some parents as some of the challenges facing the school.
