The Old Boys Association of Government Day Secondary School (GSS), Ilorin has appealed to the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to implement the mother tongue policy for primary education introduced by the immediate past administration of Muhammadu Buhari. Former President Buhari in December 2022 approved a new national language policy for primary schools.

Dan Iya of Ilorin, GSS old boy, Suleiman Kawu, said this in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital at this year annual general meeting of the over 100 years old institution.

Kawu, an engineer, who was the chairman of the occasion, spoke on the topic entitled: “Alumni as solution to stem the tide of alma maters’ fading glories.”

He said: “There is no-brainer that it would require time to develop instructional materials and train teachers to make this a reality.

“However, I think that the policy is too good to be discarded, and no amount is too much to invest in it.

“It tends to protect our mother tongues and traditional values from extinction, and improve the quality of our education.

Statistics has shown that using universal languages like English as medium of instruction in schools in developing countries reduce children’s assimilation because most times the languages are different from the one they speak at home.

“Some countries are trying their hands at it, and recording encouraging success.

“One of them is Zambia where the authorities announced higher test scores in Mathematics, reading and writing in primary schools in Chavuma District where it is in use since 2014.

“The place of language and its importance in the lives of nations cannot be overemphasised.

“Countries like China, South Korea, Japan are doing great in science, art and humanity largely because their medium of instruction in schools are indigenous to them.

“They are equally the official languages of their respective nations.

“We would do well to follow in their footsteps.”

Also, outgone National President of the association, Alhaji Mohammed Adebayo, urged his colleagues to spare a thought for the school.

“It is a well-known fact that the school has suffered a serious neglect under the successive administrations in the state. If not for the old boys, the story of the school would have been worse.

“All the developmental projects in the school were facilitated by the various sets of the old boys, such developmental projects include renovation of classrooms, hostels, laboratories, provision of boreholes, provision of; transformers, provision of solar power, street lights, clinical equipment, books, furniture, mattresses, sporting facilities,

“We thank the administration for the recent presentation of 500 mattresses, pillows, beddings and furniture and we are still hoping for more.’’