Re-elected GCIOBA President Pledges Early  Payment of Teachers’ Salaries 

Funmi Ogundare 

The National President of the Government College Ibadan Old Boys Association (GCIOBA), Dr. Olawale Babalakin, has promised its readiness to ensure that teachers employed by the association will receive their salaries on or before the 25th of every month, starting in October. 

Babalakin, who made the pledge at the inauguration of multi-million-naira infrastructure projects and the school’s 95th anniversary celebration, expressed the association’s commitment to improving the welfare of teachers. 

“We should also state that in October 2024, salaries will be paid on or before the 25th of every month. Donors should please ensure that their commitments are paid long before then to enable the treasury to implement a very good plan,” he stated.

He noted that the association’s Teachers’ Support Fund (TSF) can currently support 20 teachers, with plans to increase the number to 45.

“We aim to employ 45 exceptional teachers to raise the standard of education at GCI,” Babalakin said, acknowledging the contributions of the North America branch, which currently funds eight teachers, two technical staff, as well as other Old Boys who have supported the employment of 10 teachers. 

GCIOBA General Secretary, Lanre Olubi, outlined the association’s ambitious 25-year plan, designed to elevate GCI to one of the top 10 schools in Nigeria.  

“What we have done in the last one year is to engage Price Waterhouse Cooper to give us a road map of what we need to do to ensure that GCI becomes number one, and what they did was to come up with a 25-year plan for us and the plan will have some sort of milestones in term of measuring what we intend to do.

“In the next five years, we want to see GCI get to number 10 in the country and the things we need to do, we see the old boys committed to that, infrastructural renewal, we are doing that pretty well and from next year, we want to focus on software in terms that of the teachers and students,” he stated. 

Olubi emphasised the need for continued support from the Old Boys to achieve these targets, particularly in attracting and retaining quality teachers.  

“We want to ensure that we have quality teachers that will be able to bring in the much-needed intellectual capacity to the boys in Government College.  

“GCIOBA is one of the most formidable old boy associations that you can get. Yes, we have funding challenges and participation of old boys, we feel that we should have more old boys come in to take up some of these responsibilities,” he said.  

During the school’s week-long celebration, a former acting Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Adebisi Shonubi, delivered a lecture titled ‘Haw, What We Do?’, highlighting the importance of teacher quality in improving student outcomes. 

According to him, “Teacher quality refers to the way teachers employ their knowledge, skill and ability to develop meaningful pedagogic experience for students. It alludes to students-teachers’ interaction in the classroom and teachers’ behaviour that enhances positive educational outcomes in students.”

The school, thanks to the Old Boys Association, has undergone significant transformation following the completion of several multi-million-naira infrastructure projects funded by the Association. 

These projects were officially inaugurated by Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde.

Notable projects include the renovation of the Principal’s Lodge by the 1964 set, the construction of Grier House by Babalakin (1971), football pitch refurbished by 1973 September set and the refurbishment of the dining hall by Demola Odutola (1970). 

Other completed projects include the renovation of the Assembly Hall, Technical Drawing building, Buttery and Quadrangle buildings. 

Governor Makinde in his remarks, commended the Old Boys for their dedication to GCI’s revitalisation, emphasising their crucial role in addressing infrastructure gaps in education. 

He expressed his commitment to supporting their efforts in securing a brighter future for Nigerian children. 

He said: “Only the gifted will be sent here.”