Nigeria’s challenges in access, completion and quality of secondary school education has necessitated the need for stakeholders to help in bridging the widening gap between the government and society, John Momoh, chief executive officer of Channels Media Group and Trustee of BAOSA, has said.
Momoh said that rebuilding confidence in Nigeria’s secondary education requires a genuine social compact between government, educators, parents, alumni, and the private sector.
Speaking on the topic ‘Bridging the Gap – Restoring Trust Between Schools, Government and Society at the BAOSA 170th Anniversary lecture, Baptist Academy in Lagos, Momoh said that tackling these challenges will be possible when all stakeholders work in concert to reclaim the purpose and prestige of learning.
According to him, Nigeria need to restore the dignity of the teaching profession, as no reform will succeed if teachers remain undervalued and underpaid.
“We cannot continue to demand excellence from classrooms where morale is broken and salaries are uncertain. We need deliberate investment in teacher training, incentives for rural service, and continuous professional development that rewards merit and integrity,” he said.
Momoh said that there is a need to hold institutions accountable, not with hostility, but with patriotic engagement, adding that Alumni networks like BAOSA can play a bridging role, working with Ministries of Education, SUBEBs, and local school boards to track performance, mentor students, and monitor outcomes.
“We must remember that education is the truest form of nation-building. Every classroom rebuilt, every teacher trained, every student mentored is an act of national renewal. Our nation’s moral compass and future prosperity depend on the kind of citizens our schools produce”.
He further said that as Baptist Academy celebrates 170 years, both old and future students need to know that the founders of the school built it on faith, discipline, and excellence – not because resources were abundant, but because conviction was strong.
“Today, our calling is to rekindle that same conviction to make our schools once again temples of learning, truth, and transformation,” he added.
Olumide Ajomale, president of Baptist Academy Old Students Association (BAOSA), earlier in his welcome address, said that the event presented an opportunity for the old students to stand together in gratitude, reflection and renewed commitment as they celebrate an institution whose light has shone brightly since October 24, 1855.
He said that as the institution marks its 170 years of truth and excellence, there is a need for old students to renew their collective resolve to uphold the ideals upon which the institution was founded.
On his part, Kesington Adebutu, chairman of the Board of Trustees of BAOSA, said that the transformative power of education that old students received from Baptist Academy not only moulded their character, sharpened their intellect, but it also prepared them for leadership in their various professions, communities and the nation.
Adebutu, who announced a 50 million naira donation as part of the old students’ move to kick start the physical and technological infrastructures development of their Alma mater.
According to him, the funds are about giving the students of today and tomorrow the tools, the environment, and the confidence to excel in the competitive world.
“I call on every post-student, across generations, across professions, and across the world, to contribute financially, morally, and your professional expertise to this new initiative,” he added.
