One hundred years on, Government Secondary School Ilorin is still striving to preserve its rich history and the excellence it has been known for. How far can it go in achieving this in view of the huge decline in the quality of education in public schools across Nigeria? Weekly Trust reports.

Government Secondary School (GSS), Ilorin, Kwara State is the oldest post-primary institution in the state and among the oldest secondary schools in the country.

Established in October 1914, after the British amalgamated the Northern and Southern Protectorates to form what is today known as Nigeria, the school is about to clock 100 this month. Replete with a rich history of excellence, the school has churned out many prominent Nigerians in all spheres of life - politics, academics, military and business, among others. It is still run as a boarding school and serves as a centre of unity in diversity, with students from all the geo-political zones of the country.

Prominent among the school's alumni are the first military governor of Kwara State, Col. David Bamigboye, late Governor Mohammed Lawal, former Governor Cornelius Adebayo, former Under Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, former Senator Mohammed Ahmed, former Chairman of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Chief Ganiyu Ogunleye, Senator Nuru Abatemi from Kogi State, Senator Simeon Ajibola representing Kwara South, former Special Adviser to the President on the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), Dr. Tunji Olagunju, Engr. Lanre Shagaya, Major General Kazali Akandi and Air Vice-Marshal Femi Sulaiman among others.

With the motto, "No struggle, no success," it was one of the best public schools in the country in its heyday, with an orientation of hard work infused in the consciousness of the students. As it is typical of every boarding school, there was camaraderie and conviviality among the students, as well as the commitment to excel.

Vice-chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, who is an old boy of the school, told Weekly Trust that his sojourn at GSS Ilorin between 1968 and 74 were the best days of his life.

"Then, discipline was strictly followed by not only the students but by the staff and I thank God for having experienced the GSS life," said the professor of Chemistry. On the school's motto, he said: "If you translate that into layman's language, the motto is telling us to work hard and that no cutting of corners. There was no way for you to go there and think you can cut corners."

Like Abdulkareem, many other old students had one or two beautiful tales and memories about the school; the kind of education received, the extra-curricular activities they enjoyed, especially sports. With a large land mass, the school had everything needed for both staff and students to relish their stay within its precincts.

Writing in 2013 on the burden of contemporary education, a renowned columnist, who is also an alumnus, Mallam Modibbo Kawu, reminisced on his days in the school between 1972 and 1976, saying GSS Ilorin's boarding system was something they were "exceedingly proud of." He added that: The school had "teachers who worked with utter devotion, well stocked libraries, laboratories and workshops, an impressive sporting infrastructure which allowed us to participate in a variety of games without neglect of the academic side of school and a generally useful dietary system. The children of the rich and the poor got an equal opportunity to be educated and therefore become prepared for the task of building their individual lives and that of our country."

However, he lamented that in the past couple of years, the school had witnessed a systematic encroachment upon its land leading to what he called "the near total obliteration of the sporting infrastructure."

Like Kawu, many old students are appalled by the decaying infrastructure and are worried that the school has lost its glory in terms of excellent academic performance, impressive outings in sports and about the moral decadence among the students.

The school entered the black books in June 2008 when its students went on rampage, destroying facilities and setting them ablaze. Over 120 computer laptops were damaged while six trophies won by the school and the then principal's car, among other vital items were burnt when the students protested the maltreatment of a junior by a senior student. This is an act, which is said to be alien to the school in its heydays and some alumni believe it points to the students' moral decadence.

Weekly Trust gathered that the school's population was drastically reduced after the students' protest. It now has only 650 students, 430 of whom are on exchange programme from the 18 other northern states, while 120 students are Kwara State indigenes.

Though, students have yet to resume for 2014/15 academic session, a visit to the school by our correspondent revealed its shambolic condition; a bushy environment with decaying infrastructure. Most of the classrooms are dilapidated; the library is not well equipped even as the laboratories are begging for attention.

It is recalled that the state government comprehensively renovated the school in 2005. However, nine years after, there has been considerable decline and the touch of renovation has faded as can be observed from the school's entrance, while the signboard welcoming visitors to is also an eyesore. The technical department, biology laboratories, the staff room are in a state of disrepair while many of the classrooms have leaking roof and most of window louvers have either broken or have been removed. It was learnt that the state government is set to renovate the school again ahead of its 100 years anniversary celebration. Beside the proposed government's intervention, the Old Boys' Association, worried by the decay, is also rising to the occasion to restore the lost glory of the school. It is planning big for the college's centenary celebration having lined up several activities and programmes to mark the celebration. Principal of the school, Dr. Abdulkadir Alashe, told Weekly Trust that the government had given priority to the school and met its need as and when due.

"There is another plan to do a sort of renovation just like it was done in 2005 and any moment from now the contractors would be on site," Alashe said, adding that the school's staffing is one of the best in the country as it has 120 teachers and only 10 of who are holders of the National Certificate of Education (NCE).

Asked on the challenges facing the school, the principal said it requires total fencing to guard against incursion by outsiders, adding that it also needs patrons to man the various dorms. He commended the old boys for their regular intervention in the college.

But to the president of the Old Boys' Association, Alhaji Nurudeen Alabi, the infrastructural decay is "terrible," though not peculiar to the school, but added that it behoves on the association to change the institution's face. He said the centenary celebration provides an opportunity for the association to intervene meaningfully, stressing that: "We are trying to intervene in some critical areas we have identified such as those that will immediately have an impact on the academic performance." As the school clocks 100, it is hoped that the 'old boys' would rise to preserve their alma mater and restore its lost glory.