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Tag: pupils

  • Exclusive party for pupils

    Cardinal Nursery and Primary School decided to do something unique-it hosted the kids to an exclusive Christmas funfair, exempting their parents.

    The pupils, the school proprietress, Mrs Nkechi Ohakawa disclosed,  made the request to enable them display their talents on the dance floor without their parents’ interfering.

    The event held at D’Cubicle Event Centre, Igando last Friday.

    The children participated in dance competition, carols, Bible lessons and a drama depicting the birth of Jesus Christ.  There were also lots of interesting games with lots of food, drinks and gifts from Santa Claus.

    Ohakawa recalled how the previous editions of the party, which had parents in attendance, constituting distractions and prevented the pupils from fully expressing their dance skills.

    Teachers also rendered carols and praise songs. In what seemed like words of exaltation, Mrs Ohakawa explained the significance of Christmas.

    According to her, Jesus Christ came to redeem the world, and therefore, was incarnated in human form, adopting mankind as children of God.

    His birth, Ohakawa further stressed, was significance with love, joy, happiness and forgiveness.

    Raymond Ayim, a Primary IV pupil, described the season as a time to give, which he has set out to do.

  • Students’ donations lift indigent pupils

    Christiana Akinjide Foundation in partnership with the Ibadan International School has donated uniforms, textbooks and other writing materials to primary school pupils in Ibadan through the efforts of privileged students. OSEHEYE OKWUOFU reports.

    The IDC Primary School, Olunloyo, Ibadan was filled to capacity. It was the venue of the event where Christiana Akinjide Foundation in partnership with Ibadan International School recently donated uniforms, textbooks and other writing materials to primary school pupils.

    The pupils were not at the event alone. Their parents, guardians and friends were present to witness the event, even as the pupils were thrilled by the gifts given to them.

    Most of the parents at the ceremony lauded the benevolence exhibited by the foundation and its partner. This is more so as majority of them could not afford the needed sets of books for their children’s academic careers. They could not afford the luxury of procuring different kinds of textbooks, exercise books, mathematical sets, new school uniforms and other writing materials for their children.

    So, when they were invited to witness the donation of the materials to their children, they did not hesitate to attend. And so were the management and staff of the schools.

    The children could not hide their joyous feelings as they trooped out of their classrooms in large number to welcome their visitors and benefactors.

    Christiana Foundation named after the late wife of the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN) was established two years ago to alleviate the suffering of the society’s poor.

    Mrs Omonike Akinjide, wife of the son of Chief Akinjide, Yomi, is managing the foundation that aims at changing lives and giving hope to the hopeless.

    So, when they chose to donate the items to children of the IDC Primary School, Olunloyo Ibadan, the goal was to give freedom to the next generation. Christiana Foundation, according to Mrs Akinjide, was established to give a lift to schools, especially the young people within the school system, to improve the quality of the school system and support educational institutions, primary and secondary schools and other educational institutions.

    Mrs Akinjide said: “We want to support educational institutions, we want to support the teachers in their teaching careers and we want to support the child in learning.

    “So, whatever the child needs to learn we want to provide it. Whatever the teacher needs to be able to communicate effectively with the child, we want to provide as well.

    “So far, we have given whiteboards, we have given books and book shelves. You know we have discussed with the teachers and we have found out what their needs are and we have come with that vision to provide everything. Currently, we have about 10 schools that we have covered in our donation scheme and when we leave this school, we are going to two other schools.

    “We are going to St. Peters in Ejioku as well as another secondary school where we need to build a library. I think the teachers are doing their best and schools are smaking their best efforts. There is an improvement. There is always an increase in enrolment, the teachers are encouraged. They key into the vision and they want to be part of it.

    “I think the key objective is to be able to get a primary six child to be able to communicate effectively in the English Language. One thing we try to push is reading.

    “So, we bring story books in. We try and encourage the teachers to read story books to young children. We partnered with parent-teacher association; we made them understand how important reading is. When the child goes home, you don’t just tell him to fetch water to help with household chores but get the child to read because there is only so much the teacher can do in the class; it has to go beyond the classroom.”

    While she called on well-meaning individuals and corporate bodies to give a lift to the pupils, Mrs Akinjide praised the students and staff of Ibadan International School for partnering with the foundation in order to bring succour to children’s education.

    She further explained that Ibadan International School is the primary donor and has donated uniforms for over 400 pupils, bought all the educational materials and gave the parents renewed hope.

    “That is why we are looking for wealthy schools that will partner with us. As you know, there are wealthy people in this country, so we are looking forward to getting willing partnerships to help these children,” she said.

    The items donated, it was learnt, were primarily procured by the students of Ibadan International School from the pocket money they received from ther parents just to help the less fortunate children in the society.

    The Principal, Ibadan International School, Mrs Motunrayo Ige, who praised the children’s generosity, estimated the cost of the items at over N700, 000.

    Mrs Ige said the reason the school is partnering with Christiana Foundation was that “we believe in education and education is the right for all our children, education is the future of our nation.

    “We believe in helping children who are not as fortunate as our own children in our own school. It was our children who actually raised the whole money. It wasn’t their parents. Every year, we sponsor a project in our local community. This year, we partnered with Christiana Foundation. In the past, we have built classrooms; we have sunk boreholes just to help children who are the future of the nation. The donation today is worth approximately N700, 000.

    “It is voluntary and the children enjoy doing it because they know they are giving something back to other children who may not be as fortunate as they are,” she said.

    Alluding to the claim, the President of Ibadan International School Students’ Council, Miss Esther Nnana, explained how they were motivated to contribute to help the less fortunate children.

    She said: “When we leave home every morning and see kids around, it’s not pleasing to us. Okay, we have the advantage; of course we get to school every morning, getting everything we need. Just because our parents are giving us everything we need.

    “Seeing them out, we feel they can achieve much if they have that privilege. So, we should continue to give them as much as we can. And we believe there is more joy in giving than in receiving.”

    The Head teacher of IDC School, Olunloyo, Ibadan, Mrs Lawal Odunayo, expressed her appreciation for the love they had for the children. She said: “We are indeed very happy and grateful because the gesture showed that there are still some organisations that are very fond of public primary schools.”

    The Head teacher, who assured of judicious use of the materials, said the materials donated will definitely impart knowledge to the pupils “because many parents are not able to buy textbooks for their children. Now that these textbooks are donated to them, they will help the pupils in their reading skills.”

     

  • King’s College inducts 509 JSS1 pupils

    King’s College inducts 509 JSS1 pupils

    Matriculation is usually the preserve of tertiary institutions. However, King’s College, Lagos conducted one to welcome new sets of Junior Secondary School (JSS) 1 and Senior Secondary (SS) 1 pupils into its fold.

    The colourful event for the 2014/2015 academic session held at the Victoria Island annex of the college last Saturday.  The programme was conducted with a procession of the teachers and the new pupils wearing academic gowns; swearing to be of good behaviour and signing the matriculation oath.

    There were speeches to admonish them on good behaviour, special songs to inspire them and cutting of the matriculation cake to commemorate the event.

    Principal of the 105-year-old college, Otunba Dele Olapeju, said he introduced the programme at the start of the 2010/2011 academic session – the session that the junior secondary school arm of the college was reintroduced into Federal Unity Colleges after a five-year break.

    Olapeju said since the JSS was restored to the colleges, the quality of pupils produced by the colleges had improved.

    This session, he said, the school admitted 509 boys, who scored at least 84 per cent in the National Common Entrance Examination into JSS1 classes (compared to the national merit score, which was 69 per cent).  They represent 10.18 per cent of the 5,000 that applied to the school.

    “The admission process for this year’s set of matriculation began with the call for entry and registration, which was followed up with the conduct of two examinations for placement into King’s College, which is a single gender school.  Over 5,000 applicants were registered–with more than 2,500 shortlisted for the post National Common Entrance second test,” he said.

    Fifty-nine pupils were admitted into JSS2, and 69 into SS1 on transfer from other schools.

    However, the number admitted by the school into JSS1 also represents 30 per cent above its carrying capacity, which is 400.  To deal with the extra numbers, Otunba Olapeju said parents have provided extra facilities in the college dining hall.

    Olapeju counseled the new intakes to be studious in order to excel in the school that has produced many prominent professionals.

    “It is a great achievement to be so privileged to matriculate in the college.  But this achievement would not make meaning except you pass out of King’s College in glowing colours in order to attain great heights as expressed in our school anthem, which says others went before you and attined the height, where they wait to cheer you victors in the fight.  It is my prayer that the Lord will give you resounding victory,” he said.

    The Guest speaker, Prof Oladapo Afolabi, told the new pupils to count themselves lucky to have been admitted, a feat he failed to achieve in his own time.  He counseled them to work hard.

    “Let me say I am proud of you because in my time in 1964, I couldn’t make it into this school.  Because you made it, congratulations.  In the early 60s and mid 80s, graduates of this school were controlling the wealth of this country.  For those of you who are matriculating, what you need to do is to be better than your peers and your teachers,” he said.

    The new pupils were also counseled by the General Secretary of the King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA), Mr Lucky Idike Jr, the School Captain, Malami Saeed and the Chairman of the Parents/Teachers’ Association (PTA), Mr Emmanuel Oriakhi.

    Idike told them that their six years in the school would be critical to their success in future, while Malami advised them to embrace patriotism, integrity and honesty as true Nigerian children.

     

  • Festival to test pupils’ writing, art skills

    Registration has opened for the ‘Vision of the Child’ competition which will feature as part of the 2015 Lagos Black Heritage Festival (LBHF).

    Pupils aged eight to 12 attending in public and private schools in Lagos State have until December 19 to enter for the competition, which will feature reading, writing, and painting contests.

    Interested participants will submit a poem, essay or short story of 300-500 words based on the theme: ‘The Road to Sambisa’ for the competition

    The event sponsored by Diamond Bank Plc with support from the Lagos State government, will hold under the aegis of the LBHF between March 30 and April 6.

    Screening of entrants begins on January 12, 2015 for those who beat the registration deadline and pay the fee of N500. Shortlisted entrants will then be invited to Freedom Park, Lagos Island, and provided with canvas, brush and easels to interpret their writing in painting.

    Declaring the competition open at the Freedom Park, the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism and Intergovernmental Relations, Disun Holloway, hoped this year’s edition would be as interesting as the 2014 edition, which featured 620 schools.

    “I was here last year and enjoyed all the events put up by the Black Heritage Festival. The events and all the drama that were held here were fantastic,” he said.

    However, unlike previous years the festival consultant, Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has decided to recognise ‘few individuals’ endowed with duality of creative skills this year.

    “Unlike 2014 where the prize was awarded on the aggregate of the two creative media, there will be three prizes in all – one in Painting, another in its sister art, the literary, while the prime prize will go to the combined product of the pupil’s dexterity – Painting and Literature.

    “What we are doing is to let them speak, not just in their words but in their creative ability,” said Festival Secretary, Foluke Michael.

    She added that the LBHF has 96 paintings from children that will enter its hall of fame very soon.

    The Lagos Black Heritage Festivals is a series of cultural celebrations held within the Lagos metropolis and Badagry. It composes of events such as the Lagos carnival, beauty pageant, and a boat regatta which takes place on the Lagos lagoon.

  • NGO offers health tips to pupils

    One hundred and thirty-three public secondary schools in Oyo State has benefited from the life-planning education programme by the Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH).

    In addition, 87 schools in Yobe, Borno, Gombe and Kebbi states, also benefited from the same programme which intends to serve as a model of national family life and HIV and AIDS education in schools, an initiative which has got the nod of the Federal Ministry of Education.

    Its President, Prof Oladapo Ladipo, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Ibadan to  commemorate ARFH’s 25th anniversary.

    According to him, ARFH remained a leading indigenous non-government and not for profit organisation in Nigeria committed to improved quality of life of individuals and families through promoting increased access to quality health information and services.

    To address reproductive health issues, Oladapo said there was need to take ARFH education and orientation from the grass root, and inculcate same  in the minds of pupils.

    Ladipo noted that the rationale for the establishment of the organisation was to address the high burden of diseases among women and children in the country.

    According to him, projects the organisation has carried out in schools over the last 25 years include; adolescent sexual and reproductive health programme in public secondary schools in Birnin-Kebbi, Owerri, Bauchi, Kaduna, and Maiduguri; peer education in adolescent, as well as young people’s sexual and reproductive health among others.

    Other activities that formed parts of the anniversary include; donation of health centres in disadvantages communities, scholarship for indigent girls, orphans, and vulnerable children , and a public lecture on family planning in Nigeria, among others.

    The don commended corporate, family and individual philanthropist who funded some of their programmes as well as contributed to the emergence of their official head office.

  • Group enlightens pupils on cancer

    Pupils from various secondary schools in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, gathered for a breast cancer workshop organised by the Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN) Ibadan last weekend.

    The workshop, which took place at BRECAN Center, was attended by pupils from The Vale College; Lead City High School; George and Duke College and All Saint College, Ibadan.

    They learnt about breast cancer, its causes and implication.

    One of the speakers, Dr Charles Okuofo, a radiologist and oncologist at the Usman Dan Fodio University Teaching hospital (UDUTH), spoke of the importance of self breast examination.

    “Self breast examination has been proven to reduce breast cancer. In doing the self-examination, one needs to check for any sign of dimpling, swelling, puckering, bulging, nipple change, soreness and any abnormal discharge from the breast and around the breast region.  He also cautioned on the need to start the treatment early, saying,”breast cancer is both curable if detected early and also preventable”.

    Dr Ademola, an expert on breast cancer from the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, also counseled the pupils to watch what they consume as obesity is also a major cause of breast cancer.

    “Weight control, diet and consistent exercise are some of the ways to control and prevent breast cancer,” he said.

    Explaining why the workshop targeted young people, President and founder of BRECAN, Mrs Betty Anyanwu Akeredolu, said it would prepare them to be advocates against the disease.

    “We organised it because we discovered we can harness the youth to advance the cause of breast cancer advocacy in Nigeria and to get women and the entire populace to get to know what breast cancer is and how to fight it.

    “We believe the children can be used as a tool to penetrate each family and sensitise them on the need to pay attention to this deadly disease.  The workshop, we believe, will groom them so that they can come up with their own ideas and plan to fight breast cancer in their respective schools and environment and whatever they do BRECAN is there to support them,” she said.

    The participants were treated to a computer session on how to take the breast cancer advocacy to their social media accounts.

    One of the participants, a pupil of The Vale College, Bukunmi Olanrewaju, expressed happiness about what she learnt.

    “I learnt that every lump is not cancerous, which I did not know before, and that early treatment is very key to treating breast cancer,” she said

  • Corps member inspires pupils to write

    Pupils in public schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have won laptops, desktops and other prizes in the Read and Write on FCT, an initiative of Rebecca Igwebuike, a corps member undergoing her primary assignment at the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) headquarters, Abuja.

    The 25-year old, Law graduate of University of Benin said she was inspired by the reforms in the NCS to initiate the competition.

    Before she began her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at the NCS last year, Rebecca had two impressions about the organisation -that customs officers make life difficult for citizens; and that the NCS was another government parastatal with history of bad leadership.

    But within a few weeks of relating with NCS, Igwebuike soon realised that her impression was wrong. “It is actually members of the public that break the rules and bribe NCS officials,” she said.

    However, with reforms initiated and sustained by the current Head of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko, Ms Igwebuike said she realised that the body could compete with other organisations worldwide.

    Determined to tap from the reform, Igwebuike thought of community projects that would impact the less privileged in the society, and came up with Read and Write, a competition for government secondary schools in the FCT.

    Participants were drawn from Government Secondary Schools (GSS) in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC). The topic was: ‘Impact of Information Technology on the Reading Culture of Nigerian Youths.’

    The first stage of the competition kicked off with a donation of 210 copies of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart to 21 schools in AMAC to read for the competition.

    Nine schools qualified for the finals which was won by Orjiakor Faith of GSS Nyanya.  She was rewarded with a laptop and N100,000, while her school won a desktop and N50,000 worth of books.

    Adejoh Ann from Government Day Secondary School, Karu came second, claiming a Laptop and N50,000 cash prize; while her school got a desktop and N30,000 worth of books.

    Dangana Peace who came third also went home with a laptop and N30,000. She won a desktop and N20,000 worth of books for her school.

    Consolation prizes, which included books and mathematical sets were given to those that finished from fourth position to 10th.

    A writer, Molara Wood, who was the special guest of honour, urged participants to take reading and writing seriously as they will help improve their vocabulary.

    While encouraging them to master the art of writing and reading in English language, Wood urged pupils not to forget their indigenous languages, arguing that the mastery of both is very important.

    She expressed happiness that the beneficiaries were from public schools, as lots of initiatives are targeted at private schools.

    “No matter the school you attend, you have the chance to be great and one of the ways one can achieve this is by reading, which improves one’s vocabulary. People like Prof. Wole Soyinka and President Barack Obama, who have the mastery of English language, did not bring the gift from heaven, they acquired it through reading from a  very young age,” Wood said.

    She also urged participants to consolidate on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) positively.

    In a remark, Igwebuike revealed that the competition is her little way of encouraging students, especially those in public schools, to read. According to her, it is also an avenue to examine the impact of information technology on the reading culture of Nigerian youths.

  • 12 pupils win Ogun essay contest

    Twelve students from across the six geo-political zones  of the country have emerged winners of the First National Green Essay Competition for Secondary Schools.

    The contest, organised by the wife of the Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, in association with Channels Book Club, forms part of her contribution towards educating youths on environmental issues and sustainability, and producing young talented pupils who are being described as Ambassadors of Green Education for the Youth (GEFTY).

    The winners include Fadipe Isabella Oluwadamilola, Fatima Aliyu-Gebi, Ann Enjoyo Austin, Akudinobi Kasarachi, Igwe Chinaza, Judith Hassan, Sule O Nathan¸ Amadi Sarima Kyna, Agboola Daniel, Ramos Ayomide, and Ibitokun Oluwanifemi.

    Speaking during the grand finale of the competition at the Progress Hall, Southwest Resource Centre in Abeokuta, Mrs. Amosun said the aim of the competition was to encourage youths to work towards sustaining the environment to reverse the adverse effects of climate change.

    She congratulated the winners, saying her Uplift Development Foundation would continue to engage in human capital development among children and youths to promote reading culture that would help improve educational standard in the country.

    The Coordinator of the competition, Mr. Kunle Kasumu, said there were over 200 entries for the essay in which  40 finalists emerged. He urged candidates to avail themselves of the opportunities provided by Mrs Amosun by putting in their best.

     

  • Pupils excel at South African festival contest

    Pupils of St. Jude’s Private School, FESTAC Town, Lagos, have emerged winners at this year’s International Marimba and Steelpan Festival in South Africa.

    The Proprietress of the school, Mrs Ijeoma Jato, made this known in Lagos.

    She said the 16 pupils that represented Nigeria beat their contemporaries from about 71 other educational institutions in the Steelpan category of the musical competition held in Johannesburg earlier this month.

    Mrs Jato said the school also emerged third in the ‘’Battle of the Bands’ (High School: Small Ensemble) as well as won an award for the band that travelled the longest distance.

    Jato noted that the pupils, who were the only contingent from West Africa, qualified for the competition by excelling at the Nigerian Junior Steelpan competition held on November last year.

    According to her, Nigerian Junior Steelpan Competition is being organised by the Steelband Panorama, Nigeria, headed by Chief Bowie. S. Bowie.

    She said the International Marimba and Steelpan Festival in South Africa was organised by Education Africa, headed by Mrs Joan Lithgow.

    Jato added that the school’s drummer and guitar player won the best player’s award with a cash award of 3,000 Rand. The proprietress said  there were about 220 song performances at the competition, adding that schools from Zimbabwe, Botswana, France, Lesotho, among other countries participated.

    She said St. Jude’s participants presented Nigeria’s P-Square’s ‘Chop My Money’, Shakira’s ‘Waka Waka’ and South Africa’s Yvonne Chaka Chaka’s ‘Uquombothi’ at the competition.

    She said the school was committed to developing students’ potential to enable them to contribute meaningfully to societal development.

    She noted that many Nigerian children were talented and needed development through quality education.

  • Berger begins facility visit for pupils

    In a bid to avail pupils practical experience of the production of paints and coatings, a leading paint industry Berger Paint Nigeria Plc, has commenced an initiative whereby pupils come into the factory to see firsthand production of paints and coatings. The pupils will also be availed the opportunity to see their equipment, people and processes of making paints and coatings.

    In a statement made available to The Nation, and credited to its Corporate Affairs Department, the initiative is to impart practical knowledge of the manufacturing industry in general and paints iIndustry in particular to help pupils make informed career choices.

    “This is targeted towards the junior category comprising pupils in primary and junior secondary schools. This takes them, particularly those in the science-oriented classes, away from just the class room experience. They now have opportunity for practical experience to deepen their understanding of what they had been taught in class,” the statement said.

    The initiative is also to support Lagos State using its Bring-A-Child-To-Work initiative.

    “Our business success is measured by more than just financial targets, but the positive contribution to lives, communities and the environment through good business practice. Berger Paint’s corporate social responsibility efforts are achieved through respecting the environment in which we operate. To ensure our efforts in community, investment can be as effective as possible. We concentrate on these focus areas: education, health, sponsorships, and Arts & Culture,” it stated.

    Further, it said other programmes it had embarked upon are the annual donation of education materials to primary and secondary schools, sponsorship of paints and art workshops, and career mentorship chat for secondary schools.