Wale Jagun & Mariam Akinloye
The representative of Ikorodu Constituency I, Hon. Ogunleye Gbolahan Adetokunbo, has charged pupils in Ikorodu to develop interests in joining any of the Uniformed Voluntary Organisations (UVOs), and desist from joining any clandestine organization.
While commending the Education Secretary, Local Government Education Authority (LGEA), Ikorodu Local Government, Alhaji Taiwo Odumbo, for the initiative of reintroducing the UVOs in primary school across the Ikorodu Division, he also stated that teachers would also have the opportunity of knowing their pupils better and their strengths.
Hon. Ogunleye gave the charge at the formal relaunch of the UVOs at the Methodist Primary School, Ikorodu, by the Education Secretary, on Monday.
“This initiative is a very laudable one. We all grew up with most of these organisations, which are character-building organisations. It’s not just about the academics; our children need to be well-rounded, and this is an opportunity for teachers to participate in the molding of our children. There is little that teachers can do when the only time allocated for them for interaction is when they are with them in the classrooms, strictly for learning purposes.
“But with this, and with the reinvigoration and the re-innovation of these voluntary organisations in our schools, our teachers will now be able to interact with our children, know their skills, and get their preferences in terms of what they will want to be in the future”.
“I foresee future nurses and doctors joining the Red Cross Organisation, and from these organisations, our children will begin to pick interests in different fields of endeavours. I’m sure a kid that is very interested in music will automatically gravitate towards the Boys’ Brigade. These organisations afforded our pupils the opportunity to showcase their talents for everybody to see”.
While stating that the UVOs will help the pupils develop interest in what to become in future, Hon. Ogunleye also strongly warned the pupils to desist from joining any clandestine organization except the UVOS which he said would help them develop discipline and give them purpose.
“A child who wants to go into the military will probably be more attracted to the scout uniform, the discipline and all the other things that are associated with the Boys Scout Society. So, by this, the teachers will be able to know areas where these children are best suited. It will also help the guidance counsellors to give a proper assessment of the children that they are taking care of.
“This is an opportunity that will grow your characters and make sure that you make friends that will stay with you all through your lives, and don’t ever allow anybody to make you deviate into joining any clandestine or secret organisations. I use this opportunity to remind you that these are the organisations that are good for you to join.
“Any organisation, no matter what they call themselves, make sure that you don’t join any secret cult or secret society in schools, or whatever names they call themselves”.
The representative of Ikorodu Constituency I, further urged the pupils: “So, build your relationships in these organisations and guard them carefully for the future, because most of your peers that you see here will be your fellow workers when you grow older and when the reigns of responsibility of our country is handed over to you.
“So, I would like to end it by saying to all of you, like in the great saying of Kennedy, a former U.S. President, to not ask what your country can do for you, but grow with the mindset of what you can do for your country”.
