Four months after Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, officially inaugurated and handed over the Alternative High School for Girls to the Osun State Government, the place is still under lock and key, OSUN DEFENDER reliably gathered.
The Alternative High School for Girls, a facility for academic and vocational education for young mothers in the state, was inaugurated on December 13, 2024, in Osogbo.
Speaking during the inauguration and official handing of the project to Governor Ademola Adeleke, the First Lady stated that the completion of the project would ensure that all women and girls, regardless of their circumstances, have access to quality education.
Describing the facilities available at the school, she said it was equipped with a crèche to enable young mothers to attend classes without worrying about their babies.
She noted that through the facilities, girls and women were not only going to get a second chance at formal education but also equipped with life skills to rebuild their confidence, independence, and potential to contribute meaningfully to society.
She added that the facility had been officially handed over to the State Government for operation and maintenance, urging the beneficiaries to use the opportunity to empower themselves for a better future.
She said, “A skills acquisition centre to provide vocational training and economic empowerment; and modern classrooms to create a conducive learning environment for academic excellence.
“Through these facilities, we are not only giving these girls and women a second chance at formal education but also equipping them with life skills to rebuild their confidence, independence, and potential to contribute meaningfully to society.
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“I would like to add that investing in the education of women and girls is investing in the future of our nation. To the beneficiaries of this school, I want to say to you all: YOUR PAST DOES NOT DEFINE YOU. This is another chance, another opportunity, and you must embrace it with determination and focus. Just believe in yourself and know there is light at the end of every tunnel.”
However, there was no sign of any activity at the facility when OSUN DEFENDER visited on Tuesday.
Also, the medium reliably gathered that the ministries that would be in charge of the school had not been properly briefed by the state government.
A senior officer in the Ministry of Education who does not want her name in print because she was not authorised to speak, told OSUN DEFENDER that they were yet to get an instruction on how the place will be run.
The medium also gathered that there have been no forms of communication on how interested candidates can apply to get into the school.
Also, with the school being in the state capital, information to rural areas where most of these single mothers and less privileged were based is limited.
Speaking on the development, a public affairs analyst, Comrade Akin Akanji, in an interview with OSUN DEFENDER, urged the state government not to allow the facility to rot away without proper usage.
Akanji said the facility is well equipped and will go a long way in helping the women if put into proper use.
He also appealed to the state government to ensure that information about the school is passed across to the remote areas, noting that a lot of people would be interested in such an opportunity.
“I can only urge the state government to do the needful and make sure that school is put to proper use. We’ve seen a lot of cases where facilities like this are left to ruin.
“The First Lady had a good intention and she has done her part. It’s left for the state government to take it from there and do the needful. It is four months already, and nothing has been heard about the place from the state government.
“The place should be handed over to the Ministries that would be in charge and also make sure information about the school is passed to the people at the grassroots. A lot of people want this kind of opportunity,” he appealed.
Efforts to get the reaction of the state government proved abortive as messages sent to the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, and Commissioner for Education, Dipo Eluwole, were not replied to as of press time.
Kazeem Badmus is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience. A professional in journalism and media writing, Kazeem prioritses accuracy and factual reportage of issues. He is also a dexterous finder of the truth with conscious delivery of unbiased and development oriented stories.
