Whenever sweet stories around the life of institutions, like individuals, change and tend towards the unsavoury, it raises concerns as to where and why the roof is leaking.
This, unfortunately, is the fate of many national institutions in Nigeria today which, in spite of their social, cultural and economic importance, have been neglected and allowed to decay and lose value. It is a long list that includes the National Theatre in Lagos, the National Stadium also in Lagos, virtually all the national universities, especially the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the premier indigenous university in the country, among many others. What is common to these institutions is neglect, leading to infrastructure decay.
When a country begins to pay little or no attention to the state of its institutions, including academic institutions, such a country can only be said to be spreading its future thin.
This is why we are deeply worried with the rot that seems to have reduced a national monument like King’s College, Lagos to an academic prison. Yes! Having existed for 96 whole years within which period it has contributed unquantifiably to the intellectual growth and development of Nigeria, King’s College surely qualifies as a national monument.
A secondary school in Lagos that was founded on September 20, 1909 with only 10 students at its original site on Lagos Island, adjacent Tafawa Balewa Square, King’s College has, over the years, grown in size and stature, garnering reputation through a combination of excellent performance, good conduct, purpose-driven administration, etc that eloquently and explicitly define its exclusivity.
The college has had its glorious moments. Many of Nigeria’s best brains passed through its refining academic crucible and, to us and many other Nigerians, this remains a national institution that has distinguished itself as a leading light in secondary school education in the country.
We are, therefore, pained by what is arguably a sorry situation of this monument caused by acts of omission or commission of those in authority who seem to have abdicated their duty.
Growing population of the school led to its division into two campuses with one campus at Lagos Island and the other in Victoria Island, in the premises of the former Federal School for Arts and Sciences (FSAS), though the school is still administered by one principal and under the control of the Federal Ministry of Education.
The current population of the school is estimated at 3,000 students and it is difficult to understand whether the present pathetic plight of the students which has rattled their parents and other concerned Nigerians is as a result of this population growth or sheer administrative neglect or both.
We make no pretences in our conviction that the Federal Government has failed again in its duty here because it is quite disgusting to know that this model school does not have enough teachers for all its subjects, including Mathematics, leading to the employment of 44 adhoc subject teachers by the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) for the school.
Perhaps the most pathetic issue about this college now is the state of its infrastructure and the horrible condition under which students live in their halls of residence and also receive lessons in the classrooms. Out of the school’s 3,000 student population, only 300 students are said to be day students, leaving the rest in the dormitories where they sleep on bug-infested beds and filthy environment that lacks basic necessities.
Students source water from the well. The school clinic lacks necessary facilities, and before some PTA members came to their rescue by buying generating set, refrigerator and steriliser for the clinic, students on admission were kept in dark rooms. Students are also exposed to health hazards that could result from over-crowding in the classrooms where over 60 students are crammed in a class that is supposed to take 35-40 students.
Sadly enough, the Victoria Island campus is already catching on with the commercial activities in its neighbourhood such that the school premises has been turned into a car park for fee, and a couple of shops have just been built within the premises.
These are highly condemnable and we are, therefore, calling on both the Federal Government and the authorities of the college to rise to the occasion and stop this drift towards infamy by putting in place measures and facilities that will match the growing population and academic stature of the college.
Basic infrastructure such as water, suitable living and learning environment for the students are of utmost importance and everything humanly possible has to be done to make this happen. Car parking and commercial activities within the school premises are dangerous and needless distractions capable of impacting negatively on both academic and psychological balance of the students.
The principal of the school at a press conference recently alleged that “the so-called concerned parents are painting the image of King’s College bad”. We advise that he should stop dissipating energy on joining issues with the parents, but rather sit down and think of ways out of the challenges of the day.
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