Minutes of Alumni Meeting (8th June 2008 - Erith, Kent)
Sunday, 15 June 2008 by Unknown
Opening Prayer by Kayode Dania.
Matters arising:
F Tunde Banjo’s Report /email ( see copy attached Marked TB)
F Founders day celebration in September 2008.
DD raised the question: What are we going to do? Are we going to deal with the issues that where raised in the report or are we going to continue with the founders day celebration?
Tunde Banjo’s (Benjilo) email:
It was suggested that:
1 We get the Lagos state government involved.
2 Is it worth helping GCK from being wiped off the map?
What can we do to help?
1 It was agreed that we will need to persuade the Government to return GCK back to its formal glory.
2 It was also agreed that we can not embark on any capital project.
3 We will have set up a Trust Fund/Foundation for the School.
4 Endeavour to form a partnership with the Lagos State Government by presenting a Proposal (to be formulated).
5 Set up a Pressure Group and with gentle persuasion tabulate our wishes and foresight to the Lagos State Government.
6 To send a delegate to carry out a research on the quality of education that is being delivered to the current Students, with the hope to compare findings with past GCE/ WAEC results to judge the on-going standard. This is to include the calibre of the Current Principal and fellow Staff members with careful consideration and understanding of the resources available to them.
7 Gbenga Bello offered to take up this assignment during his trip to Lagos in August 2008.
8 In the meantime, any Alumni member who wishes to offer immediate help can do so; for example: sending books, computers etc.
Founder’s day:
Nothing conclusive was said about the issue. However, it was suggested that a party will be nice. It was also agreed that it will be nice to have a Lecture as agreed during the last meeting.
Other matters:
Attendance and communication:
Decisions arrived at should be communicated to members via the presentation of the minutes of the meeting. This will serve as a means of keeping members up to date with the issues on-going within the association.
Response to e mails:
Members are reminded again to please acknowledge emails sent, especially from “Toksy B” when a response is sought, as this maintains “democracy” and aids effective decision making.
Time keeping:
Members are urged to please do the best they can to keep to time of arranged meetings because we need to be considerate as we are invading a member‘s home and intruding on their family‘s space and time.
Constitution:
It was reported that the constitution has not been completed because the committee has been unable to meet. Yinka Osibanjo has been persuaded to join the Committee working on the document.
Web page:
The web page is at a standstill because Deji Adelaja who promised to take over the project has apparently relocated to Lagos (work-related). It has been agreed collectively that we need the web pages to be made interactive, in order that individual members can update and inform members worldwide of activites. Ayo Oyebade will again rise to the challenge by approaching the original webmaster to provide interactive facilities, at a possible cost of about £1000.00 (One thousand pounds sterling).
Contacts:
A culture of “my brother’s keeper” is of paramount if we wish to nurture each other and watch the Alumni grow in numbers. So making contact with members who missed or could not attend a meeting must not be the sole responsibility of the Welfare team but of us all.
Frequency of the meeting:
This issue was raised @ the 010308 meeting because it is becoming increasingly apparent that the frequency of the quarterly (3-monthly) meetings are not ideal for the Alumni to grow and gather appropriate momentum because every meeting presents newly found members and a different mix. However, it was suggested that the coordinators can arrange “social meeting” and invite us to attend. A final decision to change the frequency of the meetings was not made.
Money matters:
Olatokunbo Basirat Benson - Treasurer, suggested that all members pay their monthly contribution by setting up a standing order into the present nominated account. The detail of which was provided to all members present. If you require the Account details please contact Olatokunbo Basirat Benson. Otherwise cheques can be made payable to Ms Olatokunbo Benson, while we await a proper GCK account set up.
A total of £320 was collected at the meeting.
Closing prayer was by Gbenga Sokefun
Next meeting to be announced later
TB
Basirat, I would like you to share this message with the entire house at your next meeting. The executives of the old students association paid a visit to our school in Ketu early this month and met with the new principal,a new woman principal Mrs Osifeso. she expressed her disappointment at the lack of interest by the association and felt we should be doing a lot more than promises.
Am happy to report that during the visit, we found the main class room block being painted by the Lagos state government, the govt had also fixed the ceiling in the dining hall and built toilets by the class room block.one set for the boys and one set for the girls.
Now for the bad news. Sadly the repairs by the govt is limited to painting the class room block only and the ceiling of the dining hall.
The tables and benches at the dining hall are dilapidated,new ones are needed
At the moment the school has no library.
The science labs (physics,chemistry and biology) are non existent,no light,no gas,no chemicals,no burners,no water,no test tubes,no equipments of any kind.
The school has no computer.
The school has no bus.
The school has no games equipment at all
The enrollment at the school has dwindled down to such a state that the school has only one arm per class. That is 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A.
This is more or less a summary of the problems the school is facing.
Solutions:
We held our monthly meeting yesterday where this report was read to the members present,it was decided that whatever assistance the association will render to the school must be something that will give an immediate impact.
Can you please find out the names of any of the non governmental organisations that can donate books to the library,equipments to the labs,computers (new or used) for the computer department,equipment for the games room.
Before we move on to other big and money consuming items like providing a school bus and repairing and painting other buildings in the compound.
If we can get these organisations donate these needed items to the school, i believe the impact would be immediate, while we arrange for other items that will cost money.
Please let me know what the decision of the house and what we should do next.
regards
Tunde Banjo - Benjilo
Matters arising:
F Tunde Banjo’s Report /email ( see copy attached Marked TB)
F Founders day celebration in September 2008.
DD raised the question: What are we going to do? Are we going to deal with the issues that where raised in the report or are we going to continue with the founders day celebration?
Tunde Banjo’s (Benjilo) email:
It was suggested that:
1 We get the Lagos state government involved.
2 Is it worth helping GCK from being wiped off the map?
What can we do to help?
1 It was agreed that we will need to persuade the Government to return GCK back to its formal glory.
2 It was also agreed that we can not embark on any capital project.
3 We will have set up a Trust Fund/Foundation for the School.
4 Endeavour to form a partnership with the Lagos State Government by presenting a Proposal (to be formulated).
5 Set up a Pressure Group and with gentle persuasion tabulate our wishes and foresight to the Lagos State Government.
6 To send a delegate to carry out a research on the quality of education that is being delivered to the current Students, with the hope to compare findings with past GCE/ WAEC results to judge the on-going standard. This is to include the calibre of the Current Principal and fellow Staff members with careful consideration and understanding of the resources available to them.
7 Gbenga Bello offered to take up this assignment during his trip to Lagos in August 2008.
8 In the meantime, any Alumni member who wishes to offer immediate help can do so; for example: sending books, computers etc.
Founder’s day:
Nothing conclusive was said about the issue. However, it was suggested that a party will be nice. It was also agreed that it will be nice to have a Lecture as agreed during the last meeting.
Other matters:
Attendance and communication:
Decisions arrived at should be communicated to members via the presentation of the minutes of the meeting. This will serve as a means of keeping members up to date with the issues on-going within the association.
Response to e mails:
Members are reminded again to please acknowledge emails sent, especially from “Toksy B” when a response is sought, as this maintains “democracy” and aids effective decision making.
Time keeping:
Members are urged to please do the best they can to keep to time of arranged meetings because we need to be considerate as we are invading a member‘s home and intruding on their family‘s space and time.
Constitution:
It was reported that the constitution has not been completed because the committee has been unable to meet. Yinka Osibanjo has been persuaded to join the Committee working on the document.
Web page:
The web page is at a standstill because Deji Adelaja who promised to take over the project has apparently relocated to Lagos (work-related). It has been agreed collectively that we need the web pages to be made interactive, in order that individual members can update and inform members worldwide of activites. Ayo Oyebade will again rise to the challenge by approaching the original webmaster to provide interactive facilities, at a possible cost of about £1000.00 (One thousand pounds sterling).
Contacts:
A culture of “my brother’s keeper” is of paramount if we wish to nurture each other and watch the Alumni grow in numbers. So making contact with members who missed or could not attend a meeting must not be the sole responsibility of the Welfare team but of us all.
Frequency of the meeting:
This issue was raised @ the 010308 meeting because it is becoming increasingly apparent that the frequency of the quarterly (3-monthly) meetings are not ideal for the Alumni to grow and gather appropriate momentum because every meeting presents newly found members and a different mix. However, it was suggested that the coordinators can arrange “social meeting” and invite us to attend. A final decision to change the frequency of the meetings was not made.
Money matters:
Olatokunbo Basirat Benson - Treasurer, suggested that all members pay their monthly contribution by setting up a standing order into the present nominated account. The detail of which was provided to all members present. If you require the Account details please contact Olatokunbo Basirat Benson. Otherwise cheques can be made payable to Ms Olatokunbo Benson, while we await a proper GCK account set up.
A total of £320 was collected at the meeting.
Closing prayer was by Gbenga Sokefun
Next meeting to be announced later
TB
Basirat, I would like you to share this message with the entire house at your next meeting. The executives of the old students association paid a visit to our school in Ketu early this month and met with the new principal,a new woman principal Mrs Osifeso. she expressed her disappointment at the lack of interest by the association and felt we should be doing a lot more than promises.
Am happy to report that during the visit, we found the main class room block being painted by the Lagos state government, the govt had also fixed the ceiling in the dining hall and built toilets by the class room block.one set for the boys and one set for the girls.
Now for the bad news. Sadly the repairs by the govt is limited to painting the class room block only and the ceiling of the dining hall.
The tables and benches at the dining hall are dilapidated,new ones are needed
At the moment the school has no library.
The science labs (physics,chemistry and biology) are non existent,no light,no gas,no chemicals,no burners,no water,no test tubes,no equipments of any kind.
The school has no computer.
The school has no bus.
The school has no games equipment at all
The enrollment at the school has dwindled down to such a state that the school has only one arm per class. That is 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A.
This is more or less a summary of the problems the school is facing.
Solutions:
We held our monthly meeting yesterday where this report was read to the members present,it was decided that whatever assistance the association will render to the school must be something that will give an immediate impact.
Can you please find out the names of any of the non governmental organisations that can donate books to the library,equipments to the labs,computers (new or used) for the computer department,equipment for the games room.
Before we move on to other big and money consuming items like providing a school bus and repairing and painting other buildings in the compound.
If we can get these organisations donate these needed items to the school, i believe the impact would be immediate, while we arrange for other items that will cost money.
Please let me know what the decision of the house and what we should do next.
regards
Tunde Banjo - Benjilo
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