Standard schools in the Central District of Kogi State are public schools which have been reformed for optimal performance by both the parents and their host communities. They are concepts which were actualized on the 31st of August, 2009 amidst the pressing needs to reverse the discouraging trend then in public schools across Kogi State.
Dedicated teachers were carefully selected and placed under reputable Headteachers because of the lofty goals behind this innovative idea. It was agreed at inception by major stakeholders which included the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) Okene Branch, Association of Primary Schools Headteachers Okene Branch and the then Management of Okene LGEA that these selected public schools shall be strike-free to ensure their smooth operation and uninterrupted academic sessions. Due to the anticipated workload in these schools, the daily closing period was extended way beyond the conventional ones in other public schools.
With all these innovations in place, it is expected that these schools should outshine their counterparts both in the private and public sectors. The success of Standard Schools in the Central is evident in the quality of children that they graduate annually. They have maintained a steady lead in major competitions within and outside the State since 2011 till date. Prominent among these competitions are the Nigerian Tulip International Colleges’ (NTIC) Annual Mathematics Competitions, Lafarge Literacy Competition, Macmillan Team Spirit, JETS and a host of others too numerous to mention.
At an event in Lokoja in 2011 to honour the best performing puplis of LGEA Demonstration Standard Nursery/Primary School in Onyukoko, Okene, the then Kogi SUBEB Chairman, Mr Okala, urged the then Education Secretary of Okene LGEA, Late Hon. Salihu Dada, to ensure that this innovation went beyond primary level. This was how the establishment of Standard Colleges came into being in 2011 to cater for pupils graduating from our Standard Nursery/Primary Schools in Okene LGA.
Our achievements are too numerous but just to mention few. The Standard Schools are the school units with the highest pupils and students’ population in Nigeria. Through participation in notable competitions across Nigeria, over 35 pupils have won scholarships for themselves into reputable institutions across the country. Graduating students from our Standard Colleges perform creditably in both internal and external examinations such as WASSCE, NECO and JAMB. Scores of 300 and above are our usual and our children are unfamiliar with examination malpractice.
Being aware of the enormous task of funding education by Kogi State Government and the need to complement government efforts, the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) of our Standard Schools decided to complement the efforts of government by adopting a voluntary contribution called PTA Development Levy which is an exclusive initiative of the parents. They make the contributions and also supervise and regulate its use in all the Standard Schools. The Education Secretaries, Head teachers and Principals of Standard schools cannot introduce fees of any kind in public schools because they are public institutions guided by the State rules and regulations.
We are using this medium to call on ‘’Kogi Reports’’ and other similar media outlets in Kogi State at least exercise minimal professionalism in their reportage by carrying out some investigation before making any article public. They could visit these institutions to get first-hand information before releasing any information to the public.
Kogi State Government under the able leadership of His Excellency, Alh. YahayaAdoza Bello, has made huge investment in both education and security which guaranteed our peaceful and harmonious co-existence. We should not truncate this comfort and peace in our dear State, Kogi, through mischievous reportage in our cheap social media handles!
We are also urging the public to always verify information from reputable media houses before lending credence to them.God bless Nigeria! God bless Kogi State! God bless His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kogi State, Alh. YahayaAdoza Bello! God bless and sustain our Standard Schools and Colleges across Kogi State!
CHAIRMAN: Forum of Heads of Standard Schools (FOHOSS)