Old Girls Give Back to Queen’s College

As part of activities marking its 50th anniversary of leaving Queen’s College, Lagos, the 1965 to 1969/71 set has donated science laboratory equipment worth over N3 million to the school.

The gesture is also aimed at promoting the study of science among girls.

According to the Chairperson of the 50th Anniversary Organising Committee for the ‘Give Back to Queens College’, Dr. Theresa Bassey, the school deserves nothing short of the best.

She said the need for giving back to the college would not have been there if the college did not impact members of the set or any other positively.

“When we were planning this anniversary, we sat back and reflected on the impact in our lives thus far and came up with the idea of giving back to this our great alma mater that has done so much for us.

“We thought about it six to seven months ago and came for a meeting with the college management. We carried out an on- sight visit round the college and then looked at the needs list and decided to pick up what we felt was of immediate attention and which will be readily affordable.

“We decided to provide science laboratory equipment which comprise 100 laboratory stools, skeleton, pipet stands, microscopes and others found in a standard laboratory to enhance practical knowledge be it in subjects such as Physics, Chemistry or Biology,” she said.

Bassey stated that the college needs a lot of support in several respects if indeed efforts and desire to restore its glory days as the foremost girls’ college in the country is to be accomplished.

She said this calls for collective responsibility as no single individual or group of persons can fix it all alone.

According to her, apart from the need for an urgent physical infrastructure intervention in the college, there is also the need for mentoring, psychological and social upliftment of the students.

She stressed that education must be given a holistic approach for its benefit to be impactful, adding that the country needs to do less of lip service in tackling the challenges in the education sector.

She said the government needs to do more especially in the area of infranstructural development, training and re-training of teachers and empowerment so as to meet the 21st century demands.

The chairperson also noted that the college has continued to produce respectable women that have distinguished themselves in various fields of endeavor, locally and in the diaspora.

A member of the set, Mrs. Bolanle Izilein said with the donation, the girls are expected to surpass stardards set by some of their male counterparts in the field of science, as well as to break new grounds and take the college and the country to the next level.

The Principal of the college, Dr. Tokunbo Yakubu-Oyinloye expressed delight at the gesture, describing it as a step in the right direction.

She said the donated equipment, which would complement the existing ones, will enhance teaching and learning of science in the college, which she said has remained focused in its pursuit of academic excellence and the moulding of all- rounded individuals, as well as unlocking and developing potential.

“We have been receiving assistance from the various sets of the old girls but we are still beckoning on many others including the association as a whole to continue giving back to this college because needs are continuous.

“Government on its part has continued to invest massively towards the development of the college but like we all know, it also has other things jostling for its attention and therefore cannot do it all alone.”

The principal added: “Already, plans are in place to expand and renovate some of the hostels in the college to make them more conducive for the girls. In addition, a new borehole has been sunk and a new tank provided. So with these, we can all attest to government’s determination in ensuring that the college remains the flagship college for girls in the country.”