Kunle Adelabu with Simire Oluwatobiloba & Masonwo Rumaysaw (SIWES Students)
The Proprietor of HOMAT Group of Schools, Ikorodu, Alhaji Olawale Amusa, has said that the school in its 30 years of existence has impacted greatly on educational and general developments in Ikorodu Division.
Alhaji Amusa who is the President, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Lagos State Chapter, disclosed that over 5000 students have graduated from the senior secondary schools within the three decades of its existence.
The owner of the school which was established on September 25th, 1995, rolled out the impacts of the school at a press conference held at his office within the HOMAT Comprehensive College, Igbogbo on Monday, in commemoration of the week – long anniversary celebration.
“The quality services provided have contributed greatly to the development of the nation. Homat Schools has graduated 5,216 students, while Homat School of Basic Studies (Tutorial) has produced 3,017 students.
“The Primary Education section of the schools has graduated 1,814 Primary Six learners. Our old students are highly successful in their various fields both within the country, and many of them are in the diaspora,” he said.
Alhaji Amusa, who was a teacher in the service of the Lagos State Government before he resigned to pursue his interest in private school management, stated that he was encouraged to establish the school to contribute his quota to the field of education.
He also said that the desire to provide quality services to the community at affordable fees and touch lives positively, were other motivating factors.
“So many challenges were faced by students around that period, from overpopulation in public schools and other classroom difficulties. I thought of what I could do, as a teacher, to contribute my own quota to the development of education in Igbogbo and Ikorodu Division at large. The flat I had initially planned to use as a residence was instead turned into a lesson centre.
“I was also thinking of how to provide qualitative education at affordable rates while giving total quality service to the learners who would attend the school.
“As a believer, we were taught that we have not achieved anything unless we have touched other people’s lives positively. With that conviction, I mapped out some strategies to impact lives. I began by charging affordable fees so that many learners could join. By the special grace of God, when we started our first term in 1995, we had 87 pupils. At that time, we only had a primary school.
“As time went on, enrollment increased, and in 1997, we started secondary school. Soon, our classrooms were fully occupied. There came a time when we had nine coaster buses and not less than ten 18-seater buses. Because the roads were not good, we thought of expansion. That was how we extended to Owutu, where we established Homat Pivotal School, both primary and secondary.
“We also bought over a school in Odogunyan, which we renamed Homat Unique Schools. By the special grace of God, parents began agitating for a school in Ijede, and we bought another school there, naming it Homat Academy for both primary and secondary.
“Recently, due to the bad roads in Maya, parents also requested a school. We acquired a company building and converted it into a school. At present, we have not less than seven plots purchased there, and the school is growing stronger.,” Alhaji Amusa explained with data the expansion of the school.
He said that the school’s successes have been heavily dependent on the qualified teachers and other staff employed by the school which are also sustained with good welfare packages in the last 30 years.
“To keep the system strong, we employed qualified teachers and introduced welfare packages. Our staff have remained highly dedicated and focused. We gave out loans, repayable in three years, with 50% of the loan paid by the school. We also established a land acquisition programme for staff.
“We created the first and second phases of Homat Estate at Agunfoye, the fourth phase at Ofin, and now we have acquired land behind Lucky Fibre, which will also be distributed to staff.
“”The children of staff members enjoy a 50% discount on school fees, as they are helping us to train other people’s children, so we focus on their welfare too. Management staff are also given loans repayable in 2–3 years, and in return, they put in their best efforts to ensure we achieve our objectives.
Today, by the effort of these teachers and members of staff, we can boldly say we have roughly 2,000 students across both primary and secondary schools,” he said.
As a school established based on assisting indigent students, the proprietor also introduced scholarship in his bid to provide further support to any children whose parents cannot afford the cost of education and others with one challenge or the other.
According to Alhaji Amusa, over 300 students have so far benefited from the HOMAT’s scholarship scheme.
“On scholarships, being from a humble background with farming parents, I thought of giving back to the system from what Almighty God has blessed me with. Scholarships were given to indigent students. In some cases, when parents who had been paying regularly passed away, scholarships were granted to their children so they could remain in school.
“Indigent students, family members, and high-performing learners were also awarded scholarships. So far, 387 learners have benefitted from our scholarships.”
The school proprietor also stated that he has been able to achieve a lot in the last 30 years and made impact through some strategies which include, moderate affordable fees for all learners in all our schools and hostels, extension of schools to Owutu/0dogunyan, ldiroko, Ijede Road and Maya. He noted the employment of qualified teachers helped a lot.
During the three decades of existence, he has also improved the school staff’s welfare through the provision of personal cars to staff, and land acquisition programme with 3 Homat staff estates at Agunfoye Phase 1, Agunfoye Phase 2 and 0ffin while the 4th Estate is ongoing along Lucky Fiber; provision of staff quarters with 26 units of room and parlour self-contained apartments for Homat staff.
He has also been encouraging staff children to attend school through 50% discount, granting of soft loans to staff and encouraging some of his staff to establish in their town private schools.
Alhaji Amusa revealed that some public figures and staff that have served meritoriously will be presented with awards and other welfare packages at the grand finale.
“At the grand finale, awards will be presented. Among the awardees is one of our leaders in Ikorodu Division who has contributed to our growth greatly. Through his efforts, roads were constructed, making our vehicles move without problems. Last year, through his goodwill, 1,000 students received free JAMB forms. Of those, 100 forms were given to us, which we distributed to our students and tutorial college learners.
“Also, 25 teachers who have spent over 20 years with us will be recognised. One has spent 28 years, another 27 years, while many others have served for two decades. One of them will be awarded a free plot of land, with the documents handed over at the event. A management staff will also receive a large sum of money to empower his family.
“It is worth noting that Homat has produced proprietors and proprietresses of schools. Seventeen of our old staff and friends have been encouraged to establish schools both within and outside Ikorodu, and they are doing very well.
“Beyond education, we have also established Homat CBT Centre, government-approved for JAMB and GCE, and Homat School of Basic Studies. Furthermore, from challenges during graduation ceremonies, we established Homat Event Centre, which can host 1,700 guests at once. Currently, it has 11 rooms, with 25 more to be completed before year’s end.”
Looking back, Alhaji Amusa reflects with these words: “This anniversary is therefore a time to appreciate Almighty GOD, our parents, staff, neighbours, and the community who have supported us for the past 30 years.”
According to him, the 30th anniversary activities kicked off with football matches after which the press conference to commemorate it will hold.
There will be a visitation to the Adeboruwa Palace on Tuesday which will be followed by a free medical test for parents and neighbours of the school on Thursday. On the same day, the school will also pay a visit to the rehabilitation centre to donate welfare packages.
There will be Jumat prayers on Friday, while the grand finale will hold on Saturday.
