WITH improved Information and Communications Technology education in mind, the Old Boys Association of Government College, Ughelli, Delta State, Lagos Chapter, will tomorrow (June 7) commission a N25 million ICT centre donated by the Group to its alma mater.A donation by both old and new boys of the college believed will stir up the creativity in the lives of the present scholars of the school, is expected to draw the attention of eminent personalities including the Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, Chief Philip Asiodu, Chief Joseph Akpeji, Dr. Alfred Okoigun among others.Just as widely canvassed globally today, that ICT has the potential of solving the perennial cases of unemployment, it is also believed that technology education and adoption can help Nigeria compete favourably well among nations. As such, the centre has also been linked to assist in helping the country to bridge the digital divide from the East.According to World Bank, the digital divide raises the imperative to set educational priorities for the use of ICT in schools and to understand its efficacy in teaching and learning.World Bank listed the benefits of ICT in schools to include increased productivity, professional presentation of students' work, and an enriched learning environment. It added that the implementation of ICT does not constitute a panacea for all educational woes, except if poorly instituted.As such, with focus on the possible benefit this will bring to the lives of the students, the Old boys, better known as GCUOBA said the agenda was aimed at uplifting the status of the school.According to GCUOBA, the centre, which houses over 60 personal computers, servers and other equipment, is being commissioned in partnership with the Felix Esi Foundation being managed at Exxon Mobil by friends of Felix Esi, an illustrious old boy of the school, and Esso Exploration and Production Limited.The school was founded in 1945, sited initially at Warri and known then as Warri Middle School, before it was later moved to Ughelli. The first students, according to history, walked into their classrooms on January 19, 1945. Modeled after its remarkable 'Public Schools' contemporaries in Britain, Government College Ughelli was conceived as an institution where students were brought up to appreciate the virtues of manliness, sportsmanship, intellectual and moral excellence, integrity and of a clean and salubrious environment.Speaking to The Guardian on tomorrow's commissioning, the President-General, GCUOBA, Chief Josepgh Akpieyi said Government College Ughelli in its heydays (1945 - 65) was a school noted for its outstanding infrastructure, culture in academics, sporting and extra-curricular activities, but unfortunately, the infrastructure, the culture and traditions have been seriously eroded over the years.'Our involvement in the development in the school is therefore tailored to ensuring that the excellent infrastructure, culture and traditions bequeathed to us by the Founding Fathers are preserved and improved upon. The launching of the ICT Centre is to provide the infrastructure that will give the students and teachers the platform that would launch them into the Internet age', he stated.Akpieyi disclosed that the centre cost the Old boys Union over N25 million, adding that the Lagos branch of the Old Boys Association is the arm contributing this vital infrastructure in partnership with the Felix Esi Foundation.Further analysis, according to him, included the renovation of the class rooms, provision of tables and chairs; 30KVA generator with 2,000 liters tank filled to capacity with diesel and two years renewable Internet subscription from Vodacom.He added that negotiations are presently on to employ train 58 teachers and students of the school by NIIT officials.Going forward, he said there was still a lot of work to be done to restore the pristine glories of the school. 'All of the goals are contained in our Association's Vision 2015 document. They include decayed Sick Bay, audio-visual resources for teaching, well equipped library, restoration of the game of cricket, establishment of an archive to preserve our history, provision of water dispenser in each House for potable water, restoration of houses that have so decayed and are unfit for habitation, among others.'To the Principal of the School, Mr. Nelson Erhijefe, the ICT centre could not have come at a better time than now, when the global attention has been shifted to the positive contributions of technology to human development.Erhijefe, while appreciating the efforts of Old Boys, stressed that, 'They GCUOBA is doing a lot to uplift the status of the school. I believe that with this ICT centre, the sky is just the beginning for us. We are going to make judicious use of it and ensure that the purpose of the centre, which aimed at improving the lots of the students, is not defeated.'A member of the Old Boys Association, Warri Chapter, Chief O.M. Uloho, who also spoke to The Guardian said immense benefits of technology cannot be quantified now, stressing that the world has gone digital and the school cannot be left behind.Chief Uloho said ICT education has become a must for any student that want to compete favourably well in the emerging ICT global landscape.'During our time in the 50s at the school, we were not opportune to know about computer, all we concentrated on was reading and reading, but today, these students have both opportunities to read and also practicalise what they read. They are very fortunate and we are going to ensure that we improve on this', he stated.In her own words, Head of English department of the school, Mrs. Agobere Felicia, 'it is like a dream come true for the school. Though, we have a small ICT centre presently, but with this to be commissioned, we can say we have come of really come of age in ICT education.'To the Senior Prefect, Omonwovo Joseph, this is a perfect gift for us, because it will aid our work, especially when we needed to do researches, 'we thank the Old Boys and we use this medium to say we still need more of their generosity.
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