Meet school owner who gave palliatives to parents

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

At a time private schools are struggling to pay workers, one proprietor, is not only paying monthly but also gave palliatives to parents.

She is Evangelist Adekunbi Akin-Taylor, founder of Charlie Marie Group of Schools, Likosi in Sagamu, Ogun State.

Following the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent hardship from March, Mrs. Akin Taylor told The Nation that she shared food items to her 27 workers as well as 100 parents and community members whose children attended the school.

“I gave all members of staff food palliatives – gari, rice and beans. They were appreciative. My first daughter sponsored the April food palliative; while my other daughter sponsored same for May.

“I did extend palliatives to all parents. I know how hard it will be on them, especially feeding the children. Most of them were struggling to make ends meet even before lockdown. Some of my children come to school on empty stomachs. I did not want my children to suffer. Someone phoned me that, as led by God he and his mum were blessing me with some money.  I put all what I was blessed with and extra to good use. Each palliative bag had rice, beans, garri, Indomie, oil, salt, biscuits and sweets. I made sure it was sizeable. Families that had two mothers got two bags,” she said.

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Fees are low in Charlie Marie Group of Schools. Pupils pay between N9,500 and N22,500 per term.  Those in the boarding house pay an additional N80,000-N90,000 per term.

However, with pupils not in school because of the pandemic, fees have not been paid since March. Yet the 27 members of staff are being paid more than 50 per cent of their salaries – and none of them was sacked.  However, after this month, Mrs. Akin-Taylor is not sure how she would continue.

“For the month of March I paid full salary. April and May I paid between 60 per cent and 70 per cent. I am fighting to do the same in June but, after June, it will be a very tough call.  I have used up almost all my savings. I am now getting very worried,” she said.

Mrs. Akin-Taylor said the school has not been able to mount any e-learning programme because parents cannot afford the cost.

“About e-learning, we could not do at all. Power supply is almost non-existent.  Many parents cannot afford regular data and android phones talk less of laptops. Even the teachers have such constraints. I don’t believe in segregation so since only a handful of parents can do this, I decided it won’t be fair on majority of the others,” she said.

A parent, Mrs. Olajumoke Amos, praised Mrs. Akin-Taylor for her care to parents.

“She did a very good job.  On that particular day, all the parents were happy.  She was not in the country and she still extended her love.  I have not seen any private school around here do anything like this.  What many private schools expect from parents is ‘bring’, ‘bring’ but she is open-handed,”she said.

Also speaking, the school’s PTA Chairperson, Mrs. Olabunmi Mufutau, said: “That woman is very nice, kind good mama.  There are very few proprietors that can do this.  Staff salaries have been paid for two months; she is very kind,” she said.