The Nation Newspaper

Tag: classrooms

  • RCCG donates classrooms to community school

    As part of its corporate social responsibility, the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Province 8 in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has donated a block of classrooms,  a staff office, desks and benches to natives of Gnami community along Bwari-Kaduna expressway.

    The rural community which has no functional school buildings was agog with excitement when pastorate of the church, led by the Pastor in the charge of the province, Pastor Olusegun Olujimi alongside members of the church visited the community to commission the amenities for immediate use.

    The occasion drew a mammoth crowd to the reserved village which has little or no federal presence in terms of infrastructure.

    In his speech, Pastor Olusegun Olujimi said that the gesture was all about fulfilling the scripture to do good and to add value to the lives of the people, adding that the donation was also in line with the mandate given to the church by its General Oversea, Pastor Enoch Adeboye to commence corporate responsibility activities in various communities.

    Pastor Olujimi said the aim is to alleviate the sufferings brought upon the masses by absence of basic infrastructure,saying that the church has a responsibility to build society and make it habitable for all.

    He noted that the gesture was equally part of activities to mark the second year anniversary of the province, thereby explained that the donation was done after due diligence had been carried out by a committee headed by retired Major General Chris Olukolade on expediency of the project.

    The clergyman noted that the Gnami community was chosen because of the urgent need for a school to facilitate learning by children of school age in the area.  The cleric stressed that much of the problem of insurgency are as a result of lack of education,saying that sound education is paramount for stability of the country.

    Village Head of Gnuma community, Alhaji Ibrahim Yeri and the Head Master of the LEA Primary School, Gnami, Yakubu Adamu, expressed gratitude to the church for the gesture, saying it is the first time the community would receive such a gift from a church.

  • Alumni build classrooms for alma mater

    The Alumni Association of the College of Education, Ikere Ekiti, has contributed to facilities development in their alma mater. It built a block of classrooms.

    The association in a statement by its National President, Deji Abioye and Public Relations Officer, Bayo Oguntuase, said the project was built with its internally-generated revenue.

    It said the assoociation built the classrooms to ease students’ accommodation problems and reduce overpopulation.

    The body said the block of classrooms had been handed over to the management of the college on Tuesday.

    The alumni stressed that it is noteworthy that the accomplishment it has recorded was made possible through prudent and frugal expenditure of the funds raised by the association.

    It expressed its determination to always cooperate with the management to assist in its growth.

     

  • VC lays foundation for classrooms, laboratory

    VC lays foundation for classrooms, laboratory

    The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Prof Faraday Orumwense, has laid the foundation blocks for the construction of a lecture theatres, laboratory and seminar halls for the faculties of Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Education.

    The structures, according to institution’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Michael Osasuyi, are needed to boost teaching and learning. Osasuyi said there had been facility challenge in the tree faculties, which made vital lectures and laboratory work to be canceled.

    He said: “The foundations for the facilities come at the right time, because we have had complaints from the students on their challenges to get lectures. So, the management reacted promptly. The projects are scheduled to be completed within a short time and we urge students to be patient for pain they may go through.”

    The ceremony was witnessed by top management team, including the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academics, Prof Abiodun Falodun and Director of Physical Planning, Ehis Emojie, among others.

    In his remark, Prof Orumwense said the project would improve the institution’s academic rating, adding that the projects were being funded by Tertiary Education Funds (TETFund).

    He said: “I thank God that this bold initiative is coming at a time that the university is rated as number one in the country. We must continue to demonstrate leadership to other institutions. We appreciate the Governing Council, TETFund and the school Capital Project Committee for their roles in making the provision of these facilities a reality.”

    The VC enjoined staff and students to reciprocate the gesture by taking advantage of the facilities to redouble their effort in teaching and research. He urged students to imbibe good maintenance culture, saying it was the only way to protect the facilities from dilapidation.

    Victor Okoroafor, a student of Department of Mathematics, hailed the management for the projects, describing them as good development.

    The projects will be completed between 18 and 30 weeks.

  • Students instal mirrors in Law classrooms

    Students instal mirrors in Law classrooms

    In fulfilment of their campaign promise, members of Law Students Representatives’ Council (LSRC), representing the 200-Level class, have fixed mirrors in all classrooms of the Faculty of Law of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State. The purpose is to make students maintain good look during lectures.

    The three full-size mirrors were unveiled by the Dean, Prof Olu Adediran, who praised the students’ leaders for fulfilling their promises. The Dean said the gesture was first of its kind in the faculty, encouraging the students not to relent in their resolve to be worthy representatives.

    The 200-Level class governor hailed his colleagues for the project, urging them to continue to show good examples as leaders.

    A LSRC member, Felix Uzoma, said the gesture was to complement the faculty’s efforts in instilling good dress sense in students. “It is not in the best interest of Law students to flout the dress code as the faculty is one of the leading examples in morality and dressing style,” he said.

    Other members representing the class include Idris Olusola and Motunrayo Fregenealero.

     

  • Rivers expands classrooms for more pupils

    Rivers expands classrooms for more pupils

    The Rivers State Government has inaugurated its one-storey, 20-classroom block for academic activities. The Construction of the prototype 20-classroom block was conceived to address out-of -school children.

    The government embarked on this project to ensure that every child has access to education, in line with the Education for All (EFA) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) vision, whose deadline is this year.

    The Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi, said at the Model Primary School, Elekahia, Port Harcourt that the new 20-classroom block can accommodate 600 pupils – 210 more than the 14-classroom block that was in use before.

    Since Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi declared a state of emergency in the education sector in 2008, schools have enjoyed massive funding and rehabilitation, resulting in a surge in population.

    The 20-classroom block at Elekahia is equipped with facilities like demonstration science laboratory, library, ICT, sick bay, reception class.

    Mrs Lawrence-Nemi said the science laboratory was included in line with the new national curriculum which stipulates that children between four and above be exposed to science education early so as to grasps scientific concepts on time.

    Head Teacher of State School, Elekahia, Mrs Ifeyinwa Ofoni, said the facilities in the new block would aid teaching and learning.

    “It is quite a glorious place. I don’t really know how to thank the Governor. He has done greats thing for children of Rivers State. This is a spacious place, well furnished and I thank the Rivers State Governor for this project,” she said.

    Some of the pupils praised the government for providing a conducive environment for learning.

     

  • Plateau begins construction of 188 classrooms

    The Plateau State government has expressed its commitment to the provision of accessible and qualitative basic education for citizens of the state.

    This, the state is demonstrating with the construction of additional 188 classrooms.

    The State chairman, Universal Basic Education Board Mrs. Lyop Gloria Mang, made this known while declaring open the bid for the award of contracts for the construction of new classrooms and renovation of existing ones across the state.

    Mang said: “There are 94 contracts to be awarded across the three senatorial districts of Plateau State, which includes nine nine renovation work and 85 construction of a block of two class rooms office and store. The board is going to be working within a budget of N872 million in the first phase of constructions.

    She added: “Undaunted by the seeming decay this administration inherited in the education sector, which was characterised by infrastructural deficits and dilapidation, amongst other challenges, an emergency was clamped down on education in order to turn around the situation.

    “Two hundred and seventy bids were submitted as at the time of the bidding and these contractors were selected through a very transparent process.”

  • Senator’s classrooms for Lagos schools

    Senator’s classrooms for Lagos schools

    Pupils and teachers of Community Primary School in Magodo Shangisha area of Lagos State could not hide their joy last weekend at the commissioning of modern classrooms facilitated by the lawmaker representing Lagos East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Gbenga Ashafa.

    The pupils trooped out of their classrooms to welcome the lawmaker when the bus that conveyed Senator Ashafa and the state Commissioner for Education, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, moved into the extensive premises.

    The school is one of the seven beneficiaries of the classroom projects being initiated by the lawmaker as part of his constituency project.

    Other beneficiary schools are: Ajelogo Primary School in Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area (LCDA); Salvation Army Primary School in Ikorodu Central Local Government Area; Roman Catholic Mission Primary School in Eredo LCDA; Oke-Meta Primary School in Somolu Local Government Area; Lekki Primary School in Lekki LCDA and proposed Elemoro Primary School in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area.

    During a brief ceremony held before the building was commissioned, Ashafa noted that the projects were initiated to promote primary education in Lagos.

    The audience was taken aback when the lawmaker recounted how, during his tenure as Executive Secretary in the Lagos Ministry of Land., he frustrated the move by some wealthy individuals in the state to convert the land where the school is domiciled to a residential area

    He said: “I resisted the move to divide the school compound because doing so would have made the pupils to learn in confinement. I never knew I would be a senator today; I never knew I would facilitate a classroom project in this school. If I had succumbed to pressure, this new block of classroom would not have had space to be sited.”

    He urged parents to complement the effort of the state government in driving out illiteracy in Lagos, describing primary education as essential and a foundation for progressive society.

    Ashafa said: “I strongly believe that to ensure proper upbringing and excellent performance of our children especially at the foundation of learning which the primary school is, we must provide pupils, with conducive learning environment. This is what we have done and we urge parents to complement this effort by ensuring that their wards get primary education.”

    Mrs Oladunjoye said the lawmaker’s resolve to choose primary education as area of support for Governor Babatunde Fashola’s effort to improve standard of education was wise, noting that primary school is the foundation for societal progress.

    She said: “The state government under Governor Babatunde Fashola is proud of the activities of our distinguished senator, which are geared towards improving on the standard we have put in place in Lagos. We will continue to invest in the future of our children by providing modern classrooms and curriculum. We welcome support such as what Senator Ashafa is doing from well-meaning people to improve on what we have done.”

  • Brothers build classrooms, clinic for Taraba community

    Brothers build classrooms, clinic for Taraba community

    Two siblings in Bang community in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State have made their people proud by contributing to the health and educational development of the area.

    Mr. Jonah Kataps built and donated a block of three classrooms, while Mr. Gebon Kataps, his younger brother, built and donated two blocks of four classrooms and a maternity clinic for the community.

    All the structures, gulping over N6 million, are well equipped.

    It was gathered that the council chairman of Sardauna Dr. David Jedua assisted Gebon in building the maternity clinic.

    The school blocks are built in Government Day Secondary School (GDSS).

    Bang shares a boundary with the Cameroun Republics and is the coldest place in Nigeria.

    The Principal of GDSS Amadu Adamu said the school was established since September 1996 without “any support” from the government. Perhaps, this is largely due to the area’s remote and difficult terrain.

    The students, teachers and the entire community people now have the Kataps brothers and the Sardauna council boss to thank. In appreciation they gave the trio awards of honour.

    The area came alive with cultural dances the day the projects were commissioned. The Chief of Bang HRH Johnson Iba Mbomu who presented the awards sued for sustainable peace and harmonious co-existence.

    “Donating to a community’s school is a huge investment. It means promoting the educational development of the people, which is equivalent to creating wealth for the community,” he said.

    In his speech, Prof. Sunday Talla Ngarka, Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Taraba State University, Jalingo, suggested that the school’s name be changed to Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) since government neglected it.

    Ngarka spoke on the importance of education, urging parents to sponsor their children in school, otherwise they and their children would suffer in future.

    Speaking on the essence of education, the professor submitted that even cattle breeders need education for their cows to grow fat.

    He warned the students and teachers against examination malpractices.

    “Let the students study hard so that they can pass their terminal examinations as well as WAEC. I don’t want this school to be referred to as a miracle centre.

    “The future of a community depends on the quality of education the children can acquire,” he said.

    A member of the State House of Assembly, Abel Peter Diah –a guest of honour at the occasion, attracted the most attention. He was the one who approved the site of the school when he was chairman of the local government.

    Diah, who is representing Mbamga Constituency in the State House of Assembly, also got an award for fixing the community with pipe borne water.

    The lawmaker said the Kataps brothers have challenged the political elites in Taraba, adding that “a good leader does not think of himself alone”.

    He pledged to renovate a block in the school and provide books for the library.

    “The two brothers have sown a seed that generations yet unborn would come to harvest the fruits of its tree,” said another resident of Bang.

    What then motivated the Kataps to assist this poor rural school?

    “I had just come home for a weekend and got to learn that my elder brother (Jonah) was building a block of classrooms for the school. I called him and said I also want to make a donation and together we built the classrooms,” said Gebon.

    For his selfless service to humanity, the elder brother (Jonah) is serving the community as a village school headmaster, after his exit as the NUT and NLC State Chairman in the state capital -Jalingo.

    Gebon, a lawyer, was Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General before recuperating Governor Danbaba Suntai appointed him Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

    He (Gebon) said their donation is a way of thanking the grassroots people and returning to the community a little of what they have.

    Those who spoke to The Nation said the two brothers’ donations were out of altruism because their children were not schooling Bang.

    For Gebon Kataps, his blocks of classrooms and the maternity clinic are coming shortly after he built and donated a Corpers Lodge to the community. It is in the lodge that the over 22 corps members serving in GDSS are being accommodated.

    One of the corps members, Joseph Garba, a graduate of Public Administration, said the Kataps brothers have changed the face of the school.

    What the school needs now, according to the Head Boy, Ibrahim Socknyi and the Head Girl, Bisim Mbomu, is computers.

  • Students need more classrooms

    The Federal Government has been urged to establish more schools in new sites to address the problem of overpopulation in the classrooms.

    Dean, Faculty of Education, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Prof Rafiu Okuneye said the country’s growing population was responsible for large class sizes.

    The don spoke at the 17th yearly lecture of Uduogie Ivowi Educational Foundation in Lagos.

    The theme was: ‘High school enlargement and large class sizes: Implications for total quality assurance.

    Okuneye advocated for large provision of infrastructure and equipment to ensure quality assurance, as class sizes affects quality.

    He said the recommended 30 and 40 pupils to a teacher per classroom should be encouraged, lamenting that population and educational policy has made this unrealistic.

    Okuneye said a large class can intimidate a less experienced teacher or even confuse him or her on the approach or method to use. “Class control will also become more tasking and involvement of students in class activities will be impossible,” Okuneye added.

    He said because of a large class size, assignment are rarely given or marked by teachers, and students’ note books are not often checked as they should.

    The don said quality assurance was associated with higher institution of learning than primary or secondary school education where standards are hard to attain.

    He charged governments to establish a quality assurance agency for secondary schools, saying that there is a culture quality In basic education because of supervisory role of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) as well as universities which are under the purvew of the National Universities Commission (NUC).

     

  • Group donates classrooms to school

    Group donates classrooms to school

    Imo State government has said that education remains the biggest industry of the state and is consequently given top priority in the state.

    That is why the Rochas Okorocha administration has made free and qualitative education a major policy thrust of the state’s Rescue Mission agenda.

    The Commissioner for Primary, Secondary and Non-formal Education, Dr. (Mrs.) Uche Ejiogu stated this while inaugurating a new classroom block built and donated by US-based Ulakwo People’s Assembly for Community Central School, Ulakwo in Owerri North Local Government Area.

    Dr. Ejiogu noted that the Okorocha-led administration has repositioned and transformed the education sector as well as other sectors. Some of these achievements are construction of 305 units of modern school blocks and payment of monthly allowances to pupils and students of the state’s public schools.

    She further said government has sustained regular payment of teachers’ salaries and allowances, even as it has recruited more teachers to improve pupils and student-teacher ratio in public schools.

    She reeled off other achievements to include establishment of Owerri City School, establishment of Imo College of Advanced Professional Studies (ICAPS), procurement and distribution of 600,000 set of school uniforms and desks to all public school, among others.

    The commissioner praised the Ulakwo People’s Assembly for contributing to the development of education in the state, pointing out that government would welcome individuals, groups and communities that will identify and partner with it in this direction.

    Chairman Ulakwo People’s Assembly in the USA, Chief Adol Ibe disclosed that the association embarked on the construction of the five blocks of 10 classroom buildings as a result of the deplorable condition of the school.

    He expressed his hope that the gesture would salvage the awful school environment.

    Chief Ibe, however, commended Okorocha for the giant strides his administration has made in revamping education in the state, even as he assured that the association will continue to partner with government in its effort to turn the fortunes of the state around.

    Contributing, the Headmistress of Community Central School, Ulakwo and Mrs. Hope Nnaji thanked the Ulakwo People’s Assembly USA, saying that God used it as a vessel of change in enhancing the community’s human capital development. She prayed for God’s blessing s and guidance on them.

    Mrs. Nnaji noted that from 2011when she was posted to the school, its population has risen from 159 to 400 pupils, a rise she attributed to the free and compulsory education programme by the state government and the unrelenting efforts of the teachers.

    She added that with the new buildings in place, teachers are motivated and pupils enjoy environment conducive enough for teaching and learning.

    She also commended the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) for supplying desks and chairs for the teachers, urging them to supply textbooks and bookshelves for the school library. She equally commended the free education programme of government as well the distribution of school uniforms to pupils in the public schools.