Why I dressed in uniform to welcome new pupils – Ondo principal

The principal of St Michael’s Catholic High School, Akure, Ondo State, Adeniyi Oluyide, who was seen dressed as a pupil in uniform and welcoming newly admitted pupils of the school in a viral video tells PETER DADA about the incident, among other issues

When were you employed as a teacher in the state?

I was employed as a teacher in 1991. I have been in the government service since 1991, and I rose through the ranks till I got promoted to the post of principal.

What is your academic background?

I was born in Akure as far back as 1967. I attended St Peter’s Primary School in Akure and I proceeded to Oyemekun Grammar School also in Akure. I completed my secondary education at Oyemekun Grammar School in 1983. In 1987 I was offered admission by Ondo State University, now Ekiti State University. I got an appointment with the then-Ondo State Education Board and now Ondo State Teaching Service Commission. I started my teaching career at St Peter’s Secondary School. I was later transferred to and I am now at St Michael’s Catholic High School.

What attracted you to the teaching profession?

I would say the teaching profession is my calling. I have had a passion for it right from a young age. I developed an interest in it because my family lived close to St Peter’s Teachers College then, so I saw the way teachers were being trained morally. So, from my youth, I developed a passion for the job and I believe that God directed me to the right path.

You were seen in a viral video in the uniform of St Michael’s Catholic High School welcoming the Junior Secondary School 1 pupils. What informed that action?

It has been a tradition of the school and we have been following that tradition for the past three years. The one for this year is the one in that video trending on the Internet. Immediately after we conclude the admission process, we usually have an orientation, which is a one-week programme for newly admitted JSS1 pupils. They come from different homes, and they are graduating to another level of education, so we organised a programme for them. We wanted to make them know the rules and regulations of the school, and how to behave, and for the grand finale, the principal identifies with the pupils to tell them that there was a time when their principal was once like them, and because their principal worked very hard, he became what he is today.

On that day, seeing me in the school uniform was an inspiration to them, that they must dress properly. During that programme, the pupils were full of joy. Each one of them wanted to touch me, and I didn’t chase them away because that was my joy. We later prayed for them. Since we started doing that, the pupils have been performing excellently in their academic work. In the school, we don’t condone any examination malpractice.

While addressing them, what did you tell them?

While addressing them, I told them briefly about the history of the school, that the school was created in 1980, and I told them we gave kudos to the state government for founding the school, and I told them that those that were offered admission to the school were not up to one-quarter of the ones that applied.

How many pupils applied and how many were offered admission?

About 2,000 pupils applied to the school but the capacity for the school is just 560, so those (offered admission) were the lucky ones. We admit excellent pupils, and I told them not to relent in their academic work, and that they should be focused on studying. I told them at the same time that coming to school was not about education alone, that they should behave well, they should obey the societal rules and regulations, and respect the nation.

How has the school been affected by the different educational policies introduced by the state government?

The government’s policies have impacted on us in many ways. The government employs teachers. In my school, there are over 150 staff members and the least is in Grade Level 12. We have Grade Level 13,14, and 15 officers as teachers and the government pays their salaries. We give kudos to the Ondo State Government under the leadership of Governor (Rotimi) Akeredolu; he has been doing well since he came to power. He has been paying the Senior School Certificate Examination fees for SS3 pupils. If he had not been doing that, many pupils might have dropped out. Also, we are trying our best to implement the policy of the Ministry of Education and Science and Technology.

St. Michael’s is a Catholic school and the Ondo State Government has been transferring missionary schools to their original owners. Will your school be affected?

As far as we are concerned at St Michael’s Catholic High School, we have not seen or heard anything of such. Last year the government released Aquinas College, Akure, to the Catholic Church. I think it used that to test-run how it is going to be. However, we do not know whether St Michael’s will be released or not.

Many parents prefer to enrol their children in private schools due to the belief that public schools fall short of the quality, including infrastructure and manpower, required to give a child a good education. What is your take on this?

I want to advise the parents; the standard in public schools cannot be compared to the private schools. We (in public schools) are the educationists. We know what we are saying, and we know what we are doing. No private school can employ 100 graduates and professional teachers teaching various subjects. In public schools, we have teachers that have their specialisation in various subjects, but private schools can employ a teacher who studied Biology to teach Geography. That can never happen in public schools. The government has already streamlined it so that when you specialise in a particular subject, that is what you are going to teach. You are going to teach based on your area of specialisation. I am condemning the private institutions, and you know these people (private school owners) are profit-oriented. Parents pay a token in public schools but in private schools, they pay huge amounts of money but the pupils take the same West African Examination Council and National Examination Council examinations. That (the fees) is the difference. I want parents to patronise public schools; they are places where their children can be trained morally, academically and spiritually.

Children have peculiar behaviours and act differently. How do you manage the pupils in your school, particularly the stubborn and less active ones?

That is part of our training (as teachers); we study a little of psychology and philosophy during our academic training at the university. There is no way we will not have introverts and extroverts as pupils in school. That was why the government created a department called guidance and counselling. We have counsellors that deal with the pupils in the school. When we see stubborn pupils, the counselor talks to them and advises them. You must know that as professional teachers, we are here to mould life not to destroy life. No matter how stubborn a child is when the child is handled by professional teachers, the teacher would be of help.

What are the current challenges your school is facing?

By the special grace of God, we are very large numerically, so we still need philanthropists who can come to our aid in terms of buildings; we need more classrooms. In terms of laboratory equipment, we need a modern laboratory for the pupils. We have a large number of pupils who are taking science subjects, and there is no way we can teach them without a modern laboratory. We also have some pupils that are very skillful in creative arts, so we need a fine art room for the pupils. An adage says all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. We also need a modern field for sporting activities and I want to use this opportunity to appeal to well-meaning indigenes of the state as well as corporate organisations to come to our aid in this regard. Education should not be left in the hands of the government alone. We need people to join hands with the government to improve education.

What contributions has the alumni association of the school made to improve it and assist the pupils?

The old pupils have been trying their best. I pray God will uplift them wherever they are. They are not as financially endowed as the ones we have in some older schools like Oyemekun Grammar School, Aquinas College or Fiwasaye Secondary School. We have been trying to bring them together. We have held a series of meetings and they have come to the school to renovate two classrooms. I am still advising them to come to the school because we need more classrooms to be constructed and more facilities. We are appealing to them.

Are any of your biological children taking after you in the teaching profession?

Yes. By the special grace of God, I have a daughter who is studying Education at the university. My wife is also a principal in a school and I am a principal of a school.

How do you relate with members of staff of your school as the head of the school?

We have a very cordial working relationship. I tell them that being a teacher is not by accident. It is a thing that has been destined by God. I also tell them that teaching is a noble profession, and though it doesn’t attract a lot of money, it comes with respect, honour in society. Nobody can become anything good without passing through a teacher. Teachers are the mother and father of all professions. So, I do tell them that whatever they sow today, they will reap later in life. We are nation builders, so let us contribute our quota from our profession to the development of education in Nigeria.

How do you encourage your pupils?

To my pupils, I tell them that whatever they want to be in life they must pay the price. If they want to succeed, the price is hard work. They need to face their studies, ask their parents to buy them the necessary materials, make sure they read at home, and make sure they assist their parents. I also advise their parents not to leave the education of their children to the teachers or the government. The government is trying; it works on education, health, agriculture, and other sectors. It has a lot to do. So, let us, the parents, come together and assist with the little money we have and buy the necessary materials for our children who are in school. In my school, we have the Parents Teachers Association, and the parents have been contributing their quota to the development of the school. The government approved a special levy to be paid by each parent and we were able to use the money to build two ultra-modern staff rooms to make the environment conducive for the teachers.

Punch