The Nation Newspaper

Tag: school

  • Corps member renovates school, donates furniture

    Corps member renovates school, donates furniture

    A National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Lateef Babatunde, has renovated a block of classrooms in Mararaba Primary School in Lafia, the state capital.

    After the renovation, Lateef painted the classrooms and donated furniture to the facility.

    The classrooms had been abandoned for years, without roof, doors and louvers.  All the chairs and desks in the classrooms had also broken before the Corps member’s intervention. The school is the only primary school serving three communities of Mararaba, Gandu and Akunza.

    •The furniture donated by the Corps member
    •The furniture donated by the Corps member

    The project, according to Lateef, gulped N352,000 and it was unveiled last Thursday in a ceremony well-attended by residents of the three communities.

    The Deputy Governor of the state, Hon. Silas Agara, represented by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Mrs Phoede Onje Gywado, said the Corps member’s gesture would not be forgotten, describing the school renovation as “selfless service”.

    She said: “We appreciate the Corps member’s kind gesture towards lifting the communities. This is a landmark achievement and a testimony that he is doing well in serving his fatherland.”

    The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Lafia, which is the Corps member’s place of primary assignment, Prof Ekanel Braide, represented by Dr Chris Echeta, said other Corps members should emulate Lateef’s gesture.

    He said: “If there are 1,000 Corps members that can replicate this kind of gesture in their places of primary assignment, the country would have been better than this. Lateef is not from this part of the country but he expends his strength, energy and initiative to develop another man’s community. He should be rewarded for the action.”

    The NYSC Zonal Inspector in the council, Felix Tomori, said the Corps member was undaunted despite challenges he faced to source for funds for the project. He urged community leaders to always partner Corps members in carrying out developmental projects.

    Lateef, a graduate of Political Science from the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, said: “I am happy that God used me to solve a six-year problem facing the three communities. While I faced challenge of funding, I am able to complete the project because of my passion for education.”

    He advised Corps members to embark on life-changing project, saying they should not be discouraged by challenges.

     

  • Lagos public school pupils win robotics competition

    No fewer than five public secondary schools in Lagos will represent Nigeria at the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) event in Doha, Qatar later in the year following their performances at the 2015 Robotics Competition organized by Arc Lights Limited.

    Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Olabisi Ariyo, noted that the schools are Ojota Senior High School, Ojota; Apapa Senior High School, Apapa; Army Cantonment Girls Senior High School, Ojo; Oke-Afa Junior College, Oke-Afa, Isolo; and Lagos State Junior Model College, Badore.

    Mrs Ariyo said no fewer than 130 public and private schools nationwide participated in the competition comprising of 31 senior secondary schools, 42 junior secondary schools and 57 primary schools.

    She pointed out that the competition was contested in two categories – the open category – involving primary, junior and senior secondary schools; and the regular category – involving junior and senior secondary schools.

    In the open category, she said that each school had to build a robot that performed certain tasks in accordance with the WRO 2015 theme, Robots Explorers; while in the regular category, two different tasks, treasure hunt and mountaineering, were given to the pupils.

    She said, “At the end of the keenly contested competition for senior secondary schools, Ojota Senior Secondary School represented by Emmanuel Ugoala, Amina Mohammed and David Dikenwa scored a total of 350 points to clinch the top position while Apapa Senior High School, Apapa represented by Ehioje Odion, Michael Uche and Happiness Okon scored 150 points and came second and Army Cantonment Girls Senior High School, Ojo, represented by Saidat Saheed, Faith Ogbu and Zainab Adeshina scored 125 points came third in the regular category.”

    In the Junior Secondary category, Oke-Afa Junior College, Isolo represented by Chinasa Anikweobi, Taiwo King and Aminat Fatai and Lagos State Junior Model College, Badore represented by Blessing Odekpe, Lydia Silver and Fuad Abdulsalam came second and third in the regular category.

    Lagos State emerged the overall best state at the competition haven won in five of the category while winners were presented with prizes and souvenirs at the end of the competition.

     

  • Alumnus donates water tank to school

    A renowned philanthropist in Oshodi, Lagos, Mr Benjamin Eweoya, has donated a water tank to pupils of St. Paul Anglican Primary School, Oshodi.

    Obadara, who beamed with smiles all through the inauguration of the project at the school premises, attributed his gesture to his appetite for selfless service.

    Headmistress of the School, Mrs Olufunmilayo Obadara, said   the former water tank and scaffolding collapsed a long time ago, making the school to run without water for sanitary and drinking purposes

    She described the project as a ‘big relief’, noting that young pupils needed water for so many things to accomplish some of their objectives.

    Eweoya, a son of a teacher and an alumnus (82’ Set), said this was not his first project in the community and the school. As an alumnus, Eweoya said he had embarked on projects, such as free reading classes as well as donations of text books to pupils in his alma mater.

    “I am very excited today because a remarkable project such as this has happened during my tenure in a short period of time. I know this is the beginning and more is coming from other privileged individuals. We cannot wait for the government to do it all,” Obadara said.

    Eweoya, who was also very happy at the level of accomplishment of the project, urged all to give government more support. He emphasised on the need for leaders to lend a helping hand to young generations.

    “I feel very good to be able to give back to my community. What motivated me to embark on this project was the spirit of parenthood and not because I am a community donor. My relationship with young pupils is intact because they are the ones to point out the things that we did or we didn’t do; but it is unfortunate that none of our leaders today are particular about that.”

    To Jibola Badu, a Primary Four pupil in the school, the new tank would afford him to wash his clothes which often gets messy at the close of school.

    “I am very happy because I would not be punished at home for coming home dirty. I can now clean up before going home,” he said.

     

  • Women in medicine rehabilitate school in Ebonyi

    Women in medicine rehabilitate school in Ebonyi

    The Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Ebonyi State, has renovated a block of classrooms at Ndiebo Community Primary School, Abakaliki, the state capital.

    It also sank a borehole in the school and built an assembly ground podium in addition to a toilet.

    The association equally planted trees and flowers to beautify the school.

    At the flag-off of the facilities, president of the association Dr Thecla said the focus of her administration is improving the health of schoolchildren through services, education and information, and promoting a healthy environment.

    •The team testing the water project
    •The team testing the water project

    “The association has visited several schools in Abakaliki, both public and private schools, delivering health talks and demonstrations on topical issues such as hand washing to prevent diseases (accompanied with donation of customised tap buckets) oral hygiene to prevent dental caries (with distribution of toothbrushes and tooth pastes to children) sickle cell anaemia, debilitating but largely preventable disease; malaria and its prevention, to mention but a few”.

    “In the bid to promote a healthy environment, the association planted over fifty ornamental trees at Nkaliki Nnuhu Primary School, Abakaliki to beautify the school compound. We wanted to do much more in the school but met some community challenges”.

    “This led to our further search for a school where we could showcase our idea of a health promoting school”.

    “Search criteria included a public school, located in a rural or suburban area without water and toilet facilities, and with a significant population of children (of the poor)”.

    “Our unbiased search led to Ndiebo Ishieke Community Primary School and here we are today. We came and saw that this school has no source of water, no toilet facility and the central classroom was extremely dilapidated with holes in the weak walls, and torn roof”.

    “The school environment looked bare and harsh, not child-friendly. I must really recognise the effort of the government through SUBEB, in fencing the school compound, which was of immeasurable importance, and putting up a classroom block”.

    •The renovated classroom block
    •The renovated classroom block

    Dr Ezeonu said when MWAN came to Ndiebo Ishieke Community Primary School, “we saw and conquered. Today, this school has a newly built functional standard water borehole, a six-room toilet facility, a renovated classroom block, a podium for morning assemblies, and a compound decorated with ornamental and fruit trees.”

    All these have been put up by the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, Ebonyi State chapter, by the help and grace of God, and with the help of our supporters and advisers”.

    She said part of the challenges faced by the association was when it was duped by fraudsters.

    She said: “we give God all the glory because it was no easy task. I must make it known to all that in the course of the project we got into the hands of fraudsters, by the name Water and Horticulture Development said to be managed by Community Borehole Development assistance Program and Nigerian Houses and Environment Sanitisation and Protection programme led by one Dominic Essien”.

    “They flounted fake papers and dossiers, and claimed to be affiliated to the ministry of works. They took our money and  abandoned

    the project. However, we are more than conquerors, through christ. We picked up broken bones and set to work again and we were able to put in place what you see today, within our limited resources”.

    Commissioning the project, National President of the Association, Dr Mrs Akwa Owoh commended MWAN for embarking on the project.

    She said MWAN Ebonyi state chapter is one of the most vibrant chapters of the association.

    Principal of the school, Mrs Gladys Akaeme appreciation of the students and PTA for the projects.

    “What you have done will not only promotee a favourable teaching and learning environment but will go a long way to prevent the spread of communicable diseases on my teachers and pupils as result of poor management and disposal of human waste and will also save the lives of our pupils who cross the dangerous road near the school compound in search of clean water to drink”.

    The elated pupils of the schools danced and. sang the praises of the association.

    The Parents Teachers Association (PTA) also presented gifts to the association in appreciation for the gesture.

     

  • School celebrates pupils’ performance

    Not less than four pupils of Stella Marris Schools from among 1,874 candidates across the country scaled through the rigorous yearly entrance test of the Federal Government Academy, Suleja, Niger State.

    The pupils are: Nwike Emmanuel (Primary 5), Essien Ibok (Primary 6), as well as Obia Anozie and Michael Obinna both in Primary four.

    Ibok had 83 per cent. The best two results in the rest were 85 and 83.7 per cent.

    The Federal Government Academy, one of the 104 Unity Schools nationwide, was established in 1991 by the former head of state, Gen. Ibrahim Babaginda solely for talented and gifted children in the country. The school operates no tuition, except for Parent Teachers Association (PTA) funds.

    “Four of our children who wrote that exam all passed. There are states that could not even provide any representative. If you look at the percentage of scores of the examination nationwide, our pupil here scored the third highest score,” said the head teacher Mr. Raheem Alade.

    He continued: “The school is a special school for those who are highly intelligent. Before you can be offered admission, you must pass an entrance examination to their satisfied grade. You must pass it beyond just excelling to secure an admission into any of the government schools.

    “The students there are people that have very high IQs. That is why it is called gifted school.”

     

  • NDDC builds school for Rivers community

    To improve access to quality education for residents of Amalem community, Abua Central in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has built a model primary school.

    The school, which has 10 classrooms, common rooms, toilets, washrooms, and water tanks among others, would replace the old school building of Agbebi Memorial State School built in 1957.

    Speaking at the inauguration, NDDC Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Dr Henry Ogiri said the model school would be replicated in all the nine states of the Niger Delta to address the challenge of decayed infrastructure in the education sector.

    Ogiri said the overall objective is to enhance teaching and learning to make education very interesting for school children.

    “The NDDC feels that education is an all-encompassing training process. If the school is in a way that can support learning effectively, then of course, students will be motivated to go to school,” he said.

    In his speech, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Abua/Odual LGA, Chief Isaac Ukwe, who inspected the school with other stakeholders, expressed delight at what he described as the beautiful  edifice built for his people. Ukwe said as an oil-producing community that has contributed immensely to the economic growth of Nigeria, his council area deserved the attention.

    “I want to thank the NDDC on behalf of our people. This model school is something our people will cherish for a long time. I, also pray that the NDDC will do more for us. The commission should not stop at giving us a beautiful school building. There is need to also give us a well-equipped library to enable our children read books from different parts of the world,” he said.

    Headmaster of the school, Chief Thankyou Ogini, said more pupils have enrolled in the school since the completion of the project.

    “Previously, we had only 210 pupils, but now we have 300 even as schools have just resumed. Obviously, the beautiful building and the surrounding environment are attracting more pupils to our school,” he said.

    Paramount ruler of Omalema community in Abua Central, Chief Imerari Anatho, said his domain did not have any meaningful Federal Government presence before now.

     

  • School donates furniture to Lagos

    School donates furniture to Lagos

    Saints Saviour’s School, Ebute-Metta, one of the Colonial Trust Schools in Lagos State, has donated library and classroom furniture to Ijero Baptist Primary School, Ebute-Metta, one of the public schools in its host community.

    The chairman of the Trust School Tom Ogboi, led other board members and management team to present the 276 unit of tables and chairs.

    Head, Education District; Mainland Local Government Area, Mrs Janeth Anyanwun, represented Lagos State Universal Basic Educational Board.

    Ogboi who described the gesture as part of St Savious’ Cooperate Social Responsibility (CSR), added that it would go a long way in addressing the need of the beneficiary school.

    He, explained the rationale behind choosing Ijero Baptist Primary School.

    “We are happy that today we are presenting 80 pupils’ tables, 160 pupils’ chairs, seven lockers, five library shelves and 24 library chairs to the Lagos State Government for the use of Ijero Baptist Primary School.

    “I must say that in the process of selecting and deciding the recipient, our board visited all public schools in the locality to assess their needs before and discovered that furniture deficit is a challenge in the school.

    “It is very common to see pupils’ uniform torn especially at the buttock and part of their knickers with gaping holes which shows some of the public school pupils still sit on old woody furniture with pin-fold nails that tear off their fabrics.

    “It is also not arguable that pupils are not comfortable to write on dilapidated furniture commonly seen in some public schools. This cannot also be distanced away from why books are torn and why most pupils write poorly, Ogboi said.”

    St Saviours Head Teacher, Mrs Ailsa Griffiths, noted that the culture and ethos of helping one another and showing love, could best be imbibed if demonstrated consistently.

    “This is the second time the Saint Saviour’s is meeting the infrastructure challenge of other schools in our community and as a way, our pupils are imbibing the good gesture. We strongly advocate this method for effective teaching and learning in school environment,” he said.

    Meanwhile, both Ogboi and Griffiths reckoned that sincere support from successful private organisations and individuals should not be left ignored as government cannot do it all.

    “On our part, before now we had written to government to indicate our support in capacity development of teachers in Lagos State. We have the capacity to do that as part of our Cooperate Social Responsibility, but we are awaiting the execution of memorandum of understanding to that effect with the government,” Ogboi said.

    The presentation of the furniture was timely, according to Mrs Anyanwun, who also assured that the infrastructure would be put to good use by the pupils.

     

  • Akwa Ibom governor’s wife gives school materials to orphanages

    Akwa Ibom governor’s wife gives school materials to orphanages

    The wife of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Deaconess Martha Udom Emmanuel, has donated education materials, such as exercise books, text books, school bags, school boxes and toiletries to the children of the Divine Home, Atan Offuot under her ‘Back to School’ project which signifies the return of the children to their respective schools for the new academic session.

    Speaking at the event, Udom noted that in as much as she had sent her children to school with everything thing they required, it was expedient she replicated same with them by providing their basic needs.

    She advised the beneficiaries to study hard, be obedient to their teachers, elders and most importantly fear God.

    Mrs Emmanuel also urged the children not to indulge in behaviors that could hinder their success but rather concentrate on their studies so as to have a bright future.

    She also appreciated the coordinator and staff of the Home for their commitment and labour of love saying that their reward abounds.

    The Commissioner, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Dr Glory Edet, thanked the Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, for his support towards ensuring that every Akwa Ibom child lives a better life. She commended the governor’s wife for being a mother to all Akwa Ibom children.

    Earlier, the coordinator of Divine Home, Mrs. Ime Ephraim Inyang, appreciated the governor’s wife for her benevolence and magnanimity towards the orphanage. She, however, intimated the wife of the governor on their needs such as a utility vehicle (bus), raising the height of the fence and the repairs of the road leading to the facility.

     

  • Alumni build classrooms for school

    The Alumni Association of the College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti has contributed to the infrastructural development of their alma mater by building a block of classrooms.

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

    It also said the project was embarked upon to ease students’ accommodation problems and to reduce over-population in the hitherto available classrooms.

    The body said the newly-completed block of classrooms would be handed over to the management of the college today.

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

    It expressed its determination to always co-operate with the management of the college to assist in its growth.

     

  • NDDC builds model school in Rivers

    NDDC builds model school in Rivers

    The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has completed a model primary school at Amalem, Abua Central in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    The school, which replaced the building of Agbebi Memorial State School, built in 1957, has 10 standard classrooms, common rooms, toilets, washrooms and water tanks, among others.

    NDDC’s Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Dr. Henry Ogiri, said the model school would be replicated in the nine states in Niger Delta to stop decaying infrastructure in the Education sector.

    Ogiri, who addressed reporters yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, said the commission’s objective was to enhance teaching and learning in a way that would make education interesting to pupils.

    He said: “The NDDC feels that education is an all-encompassing training process. If the school is in a way that can support learning effectively, then students will be motivated to go to school.”

    The director said the NDDC realised that many schools were in deplorable conditions with dilapidated structures.

    He noted that in some of the schools, students were required to attend classes with their desks, while others studied under trees.

    Ogiri said: “The NDDC thought it necessary to re-model these schools and bring them to the standard of modern-day schools that can support effective learning.”

    The Caretaker Committee Chairman of Abua/Odual Local Government Area, Chief Isaac Ukwe, who inspected the model school in company of other stakeholders, expressed delight at what he called the beautiful edifice the NDDC built for his people.

    He noted that as an oil-bearing community, which had contributed to the economic growth of Nigeria, his local government area deserved the attention the NDDC had given to it.