The Delta Government on Thursday called on old students associations, corporate bodies and well-meaning individuals to assist it in providing quality education for children.
Mr Patrick Ukah, the Delta Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, made the call during the donation of textbooks and shelves to Emonu Comprehensive High School, Orogun, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the items, worth over N1 million, were donated by the Emonu Indigenes Worldwide in collaboration with the African Centre for Leadership and Strategic Development (ACLSD) to boost learning in the community.
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Ukah, who was represented by Dr John Ojogho, Chief Inspector of Education in Ughelli North, said the government had a lot of commitment, saying that it would be difficult for it alone to fund education.
The commissioner said that the donation would help in reviving students’ reading culture, which, he observed, was fast dwindling in the country.
“Government alone cannot fund education because it has so many responsibilities. Old students associations, corporate organisations and individuals can assist the government in providing quality education for our children.
“I commend you for embarking on this laudable project of donating textbooks and shelves for this school. It will boost learning among our children.
“The reading culture of our children has actually dwindled over the years but with this donation, the children will have no excuse not to read,” he said.
Ukah urged the indigenes to engage community vigilante groups to safeguard the books and other properties in the school.
Earlier, the Leader of the Emonu Indigenes Worldwide, Mr Lucky Agbaye, said that the concerned indigenes decided to pool resources together to put the school back on the path of progress.
“In December 2019, we got feedback from the school principal that the accreditation for NECO exam in the school had expired.
“The school requested money for the accreditation. We donated money and it was taken to Asaba to kick-start the process.
“It was identified that the school required a library among others to get accredited; so we interfaced with the school principal to have this temporary library facility,” he said.
Agbaye urged the school management to ensure that the books were used for the purpose for which they were intended.
Also, Mr Monday Osasah, the Executive Director, ACLSD, said that the only way to encourage students was to provide them with books.
“As an organisation which is also an institution in Nigeria, as many books as we publish, we will make sure some copies are brought to this school,” Osasah said.
An Educationist, Dr Felix Money, advised the school principal to encourage the students to make good use of the books to spur them to do more.
Responding, the Acting Principal, Mr Jacob Erhirhie, thanked the donors and promised to make good use of the items.
He, however, decried among others, shortage of teachers particularly in English Language and Mathematics and appealed to the authority to assist the school.