The Federation of All Principals of Ansarul Islam Secondary Schools (FAPAISS) has called for synergy between government and community leaders to improve the education sector, especially at the grassroots.

The Chairman of the federation, Alhaji Abdulwahab Lawal, made the call at the 4th Quarterly meeting of the federation at Ansarul Islam Secondary School, Omu-Aran, Kwara, on Sunday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting involved the gathering of principals of schools owned by Ansarul Islam Society of Nigeria, across the 16 local government areas.

No fewer than 23 principals participated in the meeting organised to brainstorm on the development and challenges facing the individual mission schools and the way forward.

Lawal told the gathering that the development of the education sector presently had gone beyond the government to shoulder and required the collective efforts of all stakeholders to succeed.

According to him, most schools, especially in remote villages and communities, are presently in the state of distress with decayed and dilapidated infrastructure.

"We should not just sit down and fold our arms, especially community leaders where most of the schools are located.

"We have key roles to play in attracting philanthropists, corporate organisations and individual in ensuring the desired improvement of our schools to enhance student overall performance," he said. Lawal urged the principals of the schools to live above board and strive to uphold the ideals and principles establishing the mission schools to achieve aims and objectives for the society.

Alhaji Raji Imrana, the Principal of Ansarul Islam Secondary School, (AISS), Omu-Aran, the host school, enumerated the school's achievement to include students' encouraging performance in the last JSCE, SSCE, WASSCE and NECO examinations.

He solicited for more financial support to ensure the completion of the school's multipurpose hall, mosque and provision of drinkable water for students and staff.

The Chairman, Board of Governor of AISS, Alhaji Jimoh Afolagboye, in a goodwill message, said the school established in 1998 was being managed by the community before its take-over by government in 2013.

He commended Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed's intervention and solicited for more support for the development of the school.

NAN reports that the federation's next quarterly meeting has been scheduled for Dec. 5 at the Ansarul Islam Secondary School, Maloko, in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state. (NAN)