‘Education should be everybody’s responsibility’

The Proprietor, Liham Schools, Tokunbo Johnson, says parents and guardians cannot afford to leave education to the government alone if they want to get the best from the sector.

Johnson, who spoke at the school’s end-of-the -year celebration, said parents must look after their children, adding that the government alone should not be blamed for the country’s educational problem.

She said, “Education in Nigeria would have been better if we didn’t leave it in the hands of the government alone.

“Parents don’t have time for their children anymore; home videos now take much of children’s time and with this, they learn more from what they watch or see on the TV.

“Both parents and the government should look for ways to keep education intact in the country.”

The event was also used to give out food items to SOSAID homes, a non-governmental organisation with a facility for the mentally-challenged in Yaba, Lagos.

A teacher in the school, Kodaolu Olugbenga, said giving was part of the school’s culture.

“We teach our pupils how to give and today, most of their parents sent foodstuffs and other items to celebrate Yuletide with SOSAID homes,” he said

A pupil, Ade-Tiamiyu Toluwani, who said giving was her passion, thanked God for her parents, who she said had been helping her to give to others.

Toluwani said, “It is my passion; my parents also love giving. It is kind to give and to crown it all, it is stated in the Bible that God loves a cheerful giver. That is why I am always happy to give.”

A representative of SOSAID homes, Victoria Aliyu, said the school had always been their source of joy through donations.

Aliyu said “As a non-governmental organisation, it has not been an easy task to work with mentally-challenged people, but with the help of people and establishments like Liham Schools, we have been able to get cash and materials.”