The Board of the Governing Council of Covenant University Secondary School (CUSS) has called on the Management of Covenant University to assist and support the pre-tertiary school in her quest towards academic excellence and the attainment of national visibility among secondary schools in Nigeria.
The Chair of the Council, Deaconess Marie Usidame, made the appeal when she led other members of the council on a courtesy call on the University Management. She said the visit was primarily to establish a more robust working relationship with the University.
The School Principal, Mr Olukorede Akanni, appreciated the support the school had been enjoying over the years from Covenant but canvassed for a relationship where there would be a seamless flow of graduating students from the CUSS to Covenant University.
Mr Akanni noted the increased students' subscription from families working and resident at Covenant University. "From available statistics, 30% of the new intake in the current school term are related to the staff of Covenant University, and we hope to improve on the current subscription," he added.
Covenant University's Director of Financial Services, Pastor Babatunde Onatola, commended the staff of the CUSS for the quality and positive effect they were bringing to bear on the lives of the young scholars. He tasked the school's governing council and the school management to work towards getting their promotional messages beyond the perimeters of Canaanland. He suggested that these could be done through the various media, while also making the necessary operational adjustment to help families cope with the severe economic challenges in the wake of the impact of COVID-19 on businesses and careers nationwide.
The Registrar, Dr Oluwasegun Omidiora, reiterated the need for the Governing Board to champion payment modalities that would ease the severe impact of the current economic clime on parents. He added that the CUSS had a sound governance system that should ordinarily attract a multitude of students to her campus. "There is a need to tweak her operational framework with added advantages that both parents and students cannot resist," the Registrar averred.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abiodun Adebayo, appreciated the team for their visit. He assured them of the continuous support of the University towards improving the school's academic performance among secondary schools, not just in the state, but in the nation at large.
Professor Adebayo, while noting that there was a continuous need for improvement, assured the CUSS's Governing Council of support that would help the young pre-tertiary school, to fulfil her aspiration of churning out the very best for the country. "You can bank on us to give you the necessary support towards developing quality manpower through training, capacity building and resources within the University's operational context to boost your students and staff performance," he explained.
He urged the Board to spearhead operational changes and review processes towards gaining improved patronage. "You need to blow your own trumpet, by adopting robust advertising, highlighting awards and showcasing excellent results of your students in national examinations, for all to see," Professor Adebayo advised.
Other members of the Governing Council at the visit were Engineer Gideon Adeyemi, Barr. (Deaconess) Chinelo Olayanju, and Deacon Jacob Ekpe.