In its quest to contribute to the development of education in the country, the Dangote Foundation yesterday made a scholarship donation of N20 million to James Hope College Agbor, in Delta state.
The scholarship is to cover the selected indigent students’ school fees all through the secondary school years.
Presenting the donation at the school premises in Agbor, the Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou said the issue of education is an area the Foundation is interested in because it is central to the development of the society.
She explained that the Foundation would continue to do all within its resources to help in the upliftment of the education and health care standard both of which she disclosed that the Foundation had invested heavily in.
“Education is key for future development of our youths and the society pointing out that most countries of the world referred to as developed achieved the height because they placed premium on education”, she noted.
According to her, the Dangote Foundation would continue to partner with groups and appropriate institutions to identify potentials among the disadvantage students in secondary schools and help them develop their potentials through offer of scholarships
Youssoufou said the issue of education and knowledge acquisition remain a core responsibility in the discharge of the corporate social responsibility of the Foundation pointing out that “we have a common synergy with James Hope College in the area of education development of our youths and we hope that our efforts will encourage others to contribute their own quota to educational advancement of Nigerians and Nigeria.”
Chairman of the Foundation, Aliko Dangote had visited the school last year where he promised that his Foundation would spread its intervention to the school through offer of scholarships.
Receiving the cheque on behalf of the School, the Principal, Mr. Abraham Swart thanked the Dangote Foundation for the gesture saying it only demonstrated the love Alhaji Dangote have for the less privileged in the society, especially in the area of education.
Swart said the Dangote Foundation grant clearly demonstrates the key role the private sector can play working in partnership with government and other partners in the business of education to raise the standard of schools in Nigeria.
Amid applause from the cross section of the pupils who witnessed the presentation of the cheque, Mr. Swart promised that the school will make judicious use of the fund for the scholarship for the categories of the students it is meant for.
He clarified that the scholarship cover all fees payable by the beneficiaries through out their six secondary school years noting that the Foundation’s donation would leave an indelible mark in the annals of the school.
While calling on other Foundations and well meaning Nigerians to intervene in the education standard in the country, the Principal said the school place emphasis on academic excellence and the student’s ability.
It would be recalled that the Dangote Foundation had of recent stepped up its Interventions in the area of education and health care with the Chairman of the Foundation announcing that the Multi purpose vehicle through which the Pan African Conglomerate, Dangote Group carries out its Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) would double up its philanthropic activities.
As a result of this, the Foundation late last year donated five fully equipped mobile clinics worth N100 million to five communities in Kenya to help in taking quality health care services to the grassroots in the country.
