By: Odunayo Ogunleye.
The Girl child can do as well as their male counterpart as they are already venturing into fields that were once believed to be men-dominated but they need counsel and inspiration from their mothers to aspire for the best in their dream careers.
This was the charge of the Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi when he received the delegation of Abeokuta Girls’ Grammar School Old Girls Association (AGGSOGA) at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, on behalf of the State Governor during a courtesy visit as part of activities marking the 70th Anniversary of the School in Abeokuta.
Talabi noted that while the boys’ folk could reflect in retrospect on the discipline and stern rebuke they received from their teachers while in school, the girls were counseled with mild corporal punishments urging the Association to look into providing more support to the school in the area of girl child counseling so that “ we can have more girls as he challenged the women to encourage the girl child on Science, Technology and Entrepreneurship so that they can turn out well”.
The State Scribe maintained that the women who are now mothers and grandmothers have a lot to offer to the young girls in the alma Mata as well as their girl child at home, noting that as against the stern corporal punishment being meted out to the boys’ in the old days, what the girls need is more of counseling and mentoring.
The SSG recalled being at a convocation ceremony of one of the reputable and prestigious Universities in the Country, where the overall best student award went to a female student, just as the best student award in Nuclear Engineering.
When you were in school, most of you could boast of the moral standard of the schools, but it is not so today; this is where we need an Alumni Association like yours because the government cannot do it alone. For girls, what they need more is counseling and mentoring, so as parents and grandparents, you have a lot to offer the young ones in this regard.
Mr Talabi said the State Government still has a lot to offer in improving the educational standard and the learning environment in schools noting that major rehabilitation and renovations of Science Laboratories in schools will begin in a matter of weeks as the Prince Dapo Abiodun is now more committed to exposing public school students to teaching and learning on Science and Technology to broaden their horizon calling on the Alumni Association of Public Schools across the State to support the government in maximizing the opportunities that are accruable from Science and Technology to better the lots of the students.
The SSG assured that the State Governor would support their celebration because 70 years was a milestone, assuring that the Governor will communicate the support he will be rendering to them soon.
Speaking earlier, the Global President of AGGSOGA, Chief Mrs. Solape Ajibola, appreciated the Governor for the hospitality, describing him as a people-oriented Governor.
Also among the delegation, was the former Ogun Head of Service, Tpl. Mrs. Amope Chokor, the Director of Planning, Research & Statistics in the State Ministry of Information & Strategy, Mrs. Toluwalope Layade-Kowo, and Mrs. Yemi Sowunmi, among others.