AN ADDRESSS DELIVERED BY THE PRINCIPAL OF ST CHARLES HIGH SCHOOL MRS OLUBUNMI TINUBU AT THE CHARLEANS IN DIASPORA 2018 CONVENTION IN ATLANTA, GEAORGIA (JULY 27-29, 2018) AT THE CROWN PLAZA, ATLANTA AIRPORT, 1325 VIRGINIA AVENUE, ATLANTA G.A 30344, U.S.A

Our Special Guest of Honour,

Charleans in Diaspora Executives

Distinguished Charleans from Home and the Diaspora

Ladies and Gentleman

It is with great privilege and pleasure that I stand to deliver this address at this convention. I am highly grateful for this invitation that you extended to me. What a wonderful people you are. The passion you display as you hold your Alma Mata so dear to your heart, greatly surprise me and gives me joy, propelling the School’s administration to do more for our students. May you be greatly rewarded in every area of your lives in Jesus Name

Your finger prints are visible in every area including:

ICT Room/Project

Award of Scholarships

Extra Coaching for our Final year Students

Provision of Electricity

The School now enjoy an atmosphere conducive for learning and the school’s SSCE results get better per year. I compare our results in 2016 and 2017 some subjects have better performances. In areas where the performances are poor, the reason being that some teachers were withdrawn by the government to the model school in town.

Old boys’ in the Diaspora came in to provide extra coaching for our 2018 set, paying the teachers. This has given us hope for a better result this year. The results are coming in and the students are performing creditably well. Thank you for this. Our School stands tall among others, not only in Osogbo, but also in the State.

In English and Mathematics, we can say we are improving. The provision of Textbooks, couples with determination on the part of teachers are yielding results.

SPORTS:

The school was able to host an Inter House Sports Competition last year after six years break. Increase in punctuality is the result.

CHALLENGES:

POROUS ENVIRONMENT:

SCOBA has put in a lot of efforts to ensure the school fence is in place. All the efforts prove abortive. Neighbouring houses shelter truants who always destroy the fence from strategic locations. There are many joints located behind the school premises where hard-drugs are being sold. The Civil Defence Corps are not far from these locations. They could not help us because they also patronise these joints. I went as far as to invite the State Security Service (SSS). They tried for a while to dislodge these joints but they later relented. This is still a major challenge. Broken fences also allow straying animals and Fulani cattle rearers into the compound. Flowers planted don’t survive. We decided to attack them from within by talking to our students.

POLITICAL SCENE:

Many of our students are involved in politics. They are accommodated as thugs. They attend political meetings at the ward level and rallies. They confessed that each one is given N500 at the end of every meeting. They don’t listen to teachers. We continue to talk to them, we expect our students are listen to our voice of reasoning.

LACK OF SCIENCE EQUIPMENT:

During SSCE, we always run around to provide required equipment for the practical that we need. The government promised to give us equipment in Physics, Biology, Agricultural Science. We are hopeful.

SCIENCE SUBJECTS:

We have a lot of challenges in this area. The School Laboratories are empty and porous. It’s only during SSCE that we can provide some necessary equipment for the students. By this time, it’s almost too late to organise practical classes.

In Chemistry lab, there’s a dire need for

DISTILLATION UNIT

SEPARATING FUNNEL

And In Physics lab, we also need

STOP WATCHES/CLOCKS

SPIRAL SPRING

During examinations, we either improvise or go for equipment of low value, which will not last.

PROJECTIONS:

  • The need to engage the services of ad-hoc staff to assist Science teachers is on ground. The new session starts in September, the school shall do all within its power to ensure improvement
  • Supply of Textbooks/ Set books for students and teachers will be adequately addressed with assistance from SCOBA
  • SCOBA at home is doing a lot to provide the school with portable water. The school is ready to cooperate because lack of portable water is a hinderance to the provision of toilet facilities for staff and students

I thank you most sincerely for the help you have rendered over the years. New challenges come up yearly. This last examination would have recorded low registration but for the timely intervention of the Old boys. Many students were not able to pay the registration fee of N16900 per candidate. Scoba registered for Forty Three (43) of them. Some of them have their results released and they performed well. I intend to provide the list of brilliant but indigent student early next session and solicit for fund so that many of them would not be stranded. The move of SCOBA in February 2018 prompted the Governor of the State to sponsor some students in other Schools in the State.

COMMENDATIONS:

Some of you visit the School whenever you are in Nigeria. This has lifted up the spirit of the students and teachers as we look forward to receiving you at all times

You have taken this School so close to your hearts, you believe so much in the School. I really appreciate you. History will never forget you.

As you come together during this convention, I wish you a joyous reunion. I pray you live to have and enjoy more celebrations. Greetings to your families. I appreciate their support in your lives too

Thank you all and God bless you

Humilitas.

OLUBUNMI TINUBU

PRINCIPAL