Queen's College Lagos, the foremost Girls College in Nigeria and Africa, commissioned its newly renovated Guidance and Counselling building, a project carried out by the Federal Ministry of Education and fully equipped and furnished by the current Queen's College PTA, under the Chairmanship of Engr. Adedamola Adewuyi, fimc.
The Director, Senior Secondary Education, DSSE, Hajia Binta Abdulkadir who graced the occasion as Special Guest of Honour, expressed her satisfaction with work done and tools and equipment put in place; stating that it aligns to the Ministerial goals and objectives in terms of access to counseling and education.
The Director/Principal of the College, Dr. Mrs. T.F.O. Yakubu Oyinloye, also spoke in the same line, stating that structures are in place to help the students get the best exposure to enhance not only their educational aspirations but also to aid other vital aspects of their lives and well-being.
She said: “The project was initiated to give them counselling which is not restricted to academics but also includes social, vocational, career and personal counselling that will help the student to adjust to school life and choose the career that is best suited to them”
We hope that our student will reciprocate by learning and study diligently, that will bring forth brilliant results and students who will make an impact in the society and the world at large”
The DSSE also commissioned the newly acquired School Bus, a 2018 Toyota Have model, boughted by the PTA, for the students communal use and ease of transportation.
She expressed her delight at this development and admonished other Federal Unity Colleges PTAs to emulate the collaborative effort displayed by the QCPTA under the leadership of Engr. Adewuyi Adedamola, for this laudable venture and for also supporting the efforts of the FME, stating that Government cannot do it all alone and appreciated the PTA's effort of furnishing the entire Guidance and Counselling Department of the College with standard office furniture, tools and equipment needed to make it function optimally.
In response the PTA Chairman appreciated the FME for all the interventions done so far, stating that Queens College has reclaimed its leadership position in terms of education and awards in the league of elite colleges in Africa. "We have collaborated the FME gesture of renovating the G&C building by ensuring the college has a well-furnished state of the art G&C unit. The unit is furnished with computers, printer, standard office tables and chairs with waiting seats fully air-conditioned with TV and water dispenser amidst other items to enable our counsellors to monitor our children academically and behaviorally. We have fulfilled our promise of ensuring our girls feel at home with their counsellors for them to have better outcome" he stated.
The PTA Chairman also stated that the FME cannot be left to shoulder the enormous task of ensuring quality education is delivered, hence the need for collaboration from all stakeholders - PTA, old students & well meaning organisations and individuals. He further mentioned the PTA recent water intervention, in terms of procurement of a groudfos water dosing pump to improve the water filtration system of the college alongside servicing an alternative Borehole and pump to create redundancy. He appealed for stakeholder collaboration, which is the watchword for an effective education delivery to our children.
The Head of the department of guidance and counselling Queens college Mrs Udo, praised the effort of the Principal, Director of Senior Secondary Education Abuja and the PTA for initiating the project, reassuring that they will make the best use of it to give counselling to students.
Other projects commissioned in the College, include the Technical Drawing Laboratory, the 'H' block building housing the JS3-SS3 classrooms, and the JS1 block, also housing the Vocational Department.
The School Based management Committee Chairperson Barrister Yetunde Awofuwa, expressed her satisfaction with all the interventions and admonished the students and teachers to make judicious use of this gesture. She also reiterated to need for continuous collaborative effort between all stakeholders of the college.
In her thank you speech, the Head Girl, Kalu Gift Nneoma, who spoke on behalf of her fellow students said: “I am excited the Guidiance and Counselling department will be more approachable for students, the technical laboratory has encouraged the student to be interested in learning technical drawing since we have enough facilities that make construction easy. The biology laboratory which is now renovated has curbed the rate at which students make mistakes while trying to construct biology tables. We really appreciate the management”.