The Federal Government has been urged to tackle the menace of incessant kidnapping of students in the country to avoid a collapse of the educational system.
Mr Dele Ayodele President, Auchi Polytechnic Alumni Association of Mass Communication Department, Auchi, who expressed the worries in an interview in Benin, appealed to government to activate all necessary security apparatus to stem the tide.
Ayodele spoke on the side-line of the alumni association’s 1st reunion in Benin with the theme: Achieving More Together.
The president of the group said government needed to make educational institutions safe for learning and save them from collapsing adding that the body would also educate students on the need to be security conscious within and outside their institutions.
According to him, “The spate of kidnapping of students in recent times is getting quite alarming. Government needs to explore ways of ensuring that students are safe to study in their schools. This is because if this trend is not checked fast, it may lead to even some institutions shutting down and that will not be good for our educational system”
“On the other hand, we intend to embark on some sensitisation campaigns to enlighten students on the need to be security conscious at this trying times in the history of our nation”.
Ayodele said the reunion of the alumni was to chart a part for members to help one another and also assist their alma mata and the society at large.
In his address, Dr Victor Dibua, Chief lecturer in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, urged the association to contribute to the development of their alma mata
Dibua who titled his address “Networking and Development of Opportunities: The Alumni Perspective,” noted that alumni associations were strong pillars in transformation their former institutions.
He said alumni bodies could sponsor academic and research programmes as well as intervene in the internal activities of their alma mater
He urged members to maximise the utilisation of the advantages and opportunities the alumni networking provides for development of self, Alma Mater and the society at large.
He termed those shying away from such social network as alumni associations as making very grave mistakes that they may regret.
Dibua who said alumni coming together was for the purpose of social networking towards the actualization of goals, cautioned members against the temptation of insubordination, embezzlement or any other action that may discourage others.
In a paper titled ‘Alumni a business entity to support members and foster alumnus growth/development, Guest Speaker Mr. Gbenga Afolabi Group Managing Director Hazon Holdings International, congratulated the members for coming together saying that connectivity, relationships and networking are critical to national development.
Afolabi said the symbiotic relationship between alumni and alma mata is a win-win one as they ought to benefit from each other.
He said, “Alumni confers on us the ability to build social capital. The beauty of social networking is that you draw from each other’s strengths and experiences”.
