BY EMMANUEL EDUKUGHO

IT was pay back time for hard work, diligence and academic excellence as St. Gregory’s College, Lagos, held its 2011 speech and prize giving day ceremony with outstanding students being acknowledged and rewarded.

Rev. Msgr. Edmond Babashay Akpala, Administrator of the college, expressed gratitude to God for sparing the lives of the young students to mark yet another milestone in their lives.

“It is our fervent prayer that the college will continue to grow from strength to strength and that the students strive more and more daily to be true Gregorians in everything they do.”

In the Administrator’s Annual Report, he said that despite the mas failure of students all over the country in the 2010 May/June WASSCE and NECO SSCE, St. Gregory’s College recorded very outstanding performances in the two senior school public examinations in 2010, as in previous years.

“At the 2010 WASSC Examination, our boys recorded brilliant performances in English Language with 99 per cent Distinction Credit passes. Biology recorded 95 per cent, Economic 97 per cent, CRK 95 per cent, Government 92 per cent, Commerce 91 per cent and Mathematics 64 per cent – these were at distinction and credit level. 100 per cent distinction and credit passes were recorded in Physics, Chemistry, History, Geography, Literature in English, Foods and Nutrition and other elective subjects like Visual Art, French and Technical Drawing. Kudos to Otabor Emmanuel who had the best overall result at both the WASCCE and NECO SSC Examination. He had 4A, 3B2, 1B3, in WASSCE and 5B3, 2C4 and 1C5 in SC NECO.”

The NECO SSCE results produced brilliant attainment of 84 per cent distinction and credit passes in Mathematics, Biology and Foods and Nutrition also recorded 93 per cent and 86 per cent credit passes respectively.

“At the 2010 NECO JSCE, our college recorded outstanding successes by obtaining 80 per cent and above. Distinction credit passes in subjects like English Language, PHE, Business Studies, Basic Science, Music, Agricultural Science, Social Studies and Igbo Language.

Master Ezekafor Ekene Pascal made the college proud once again like Obiakalusi Ifeanyi a few years ago. Ezekafor Ekene recorded a spectacular and astonishing result of 12As in all the twelve subjects he wrote at NECO JSCE in 2010.”

Akpala added that several other beautiful attainments were recorded by the boys who trailed behind him with 10As and 8As in the twelve subjects taken.

On staffing, he stated that the teaching staff strength in the year under review stood at 82 with 45 teachers in the senior school, while there were 37 in the Junior School.

The non-teaching staff had reached 36.

Student population at the end of 2009/2010 academic session stood at 898, making a teacher/student ratio of 1-11, “a situation which is harmonious to teaching-learning activities.”

On co-curriculum activities, traditionally referred to as “extra-curricular” or “extra-classes” activities, he said they greatly aid the proper delivery of education to the learner and therefore have direct and significant relevance in the learning process of the college.

Among these activities which the students participated and distinguished themselves were the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB 2010) organised by STV, a similar one by Radio Nigeria, Vocational/Visual Art Contest at Dowen College, Lekki, CTO 2010 by Zenith Bank, 2010 Nigeria Model United Nations International Conference for Secondary Schools (NIGMUNSS) in Abuja.

In Sports, the College recorded feats in Basketball, Football and Athletics. As regards infrastructural development, an ultra-modern 15-classrooms block of three floors was commissioned by Anthony Cardinal Okogie, an old boy of the college.

Delivering the 2011 speech, the Guest Speaker, Dr. (Mrs.) Ameyo Adadevoh-Cardoso advised students to desist from drugs and alcohol which affect concentration, ability to learn and can cause insanity. She analysed and described such drugs like marijuana, cocaine, heroine and other illicit and dangerously harmful drugs which should be avoided by young people.

Prizes were presented to outstanding students including the neatest boys during 2009/2010 session, best behaved, best in sports, best in individual subjects, best three students in WASSCE 2010, best three in NECO SSCE 2010, and special prizes for some distinguished students in 2009/2010 session. Awards also went to some staff for outstanding performance.