By Paul Olayemi

The Gabriel Sunano Foundation has thrown its full support behind sweeping disciplinary reforms adopted to address what stakeholders describe as a deepening moral and structural crisis at Okpe Grammar School.

Gabriel Sunano, CEO of the foundation and an alumnus of the school, described the situation as “urgent and unacceptable,” warning that inaction could erase decades of academic legacy.

“These are not extreme measures; they are necessary corrections,” Sunano said in a statement following an emergency meeting between the Old Students Association and the PTA. “A school that once produced leaders cannot be allowed to descend into lawlessness.”

The reforms include expulsion of students involved in cultism, drug abuse, and violence; a ban on mobile phones; and deployment of security personnel on campus.

The foundation aligned with concerns raised by stakeholders such as Chief Benson Okorodudu, who warned that infrastructure investments by old students were being destroyed, and Abebe Kingsley, who highlighted alarming levels of indiscipline and drug-related issues.

Sunano issued a direct appeal to parents, stressing that discipline must begin at home.

“Any system where parents undermine teachers is a system destined to collapse,” the statement read. “We urge parents to partner with the school, not fight it.”

While endorsing enforcement, the foundation emphasised that sustainable recovery requires more than punishment, recommending reintroduction of moral and civic education programs, mentorship schemes led by old students, regular counseling and rehabilitation for students affected by drug abuse, strict monitoring of attendance and academic preparedness, and community policing partnerships to curb external influences.

Sunano noted that many students are products of broader social issues and require guidance alongside discipline.

“We must correct them, but we must also guide them. Discipline without direction will not produce the results we seek,” he said.

The endorsement comes amid mounting pressure on school authorities to implement reforms swiftly ahead of the school’s 80th anniversary.

“This is a defining moment. Okpe Grammar School must choose between restoration and ruin—and that choice must be made now,” Sunano warned.

The Gabriel Sunano Foundation pledged support for intervention efforts, including student engagement programs and collaboration with the Old Students Association.

“We owe this school a duty,” the statement concluded. “But more importantly, we owe these children a future. If we fail them now, the consequences will echo far beyond the classroom.”

With stakeholders united on the need for urgent action, focus now shifts to implementation and whether the measures will restore order and academic excellence at the historic institution.