By Benjamin Omoike

Ogun State Government has applauded the gesture by the Rotary Club of Omole Golden District 9110 for donating a Science Laboratory and Water project to Ajuwon Senior High School, Ifo Local Government area of the State.

The State says the Club, in the last last 10 years, has been very consistent in its stride to give support to the development of education through numerous projects in various public schools in the State.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony, the State Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, who was represented by a Principal Education officer, Mrs. Pearce Abosede, appreciated the Club for coming up with such project, despite the challenges posed to the global economy by the novel Coronavirus.

According to her, “We are indeed very happy to receive this project today, which is one of the laudable projects that we have been commissioning since assumption of the current government.

“The present administration is delighted in the way the Rotary Club is partnering with Government, especially in the area of rendering support to revamping the education sector.

“This project is not the first by the Rotary Club and they have been fulfilling thier pledges over time by adopting the school and this has become a tradition that has birthed meaningful development in the school.”

She showed gratitude and acknowledged the effort of the Club as well as urged other well meaning individuals and organisations to tow the same line in giving back to improve the educational sector across the country.

The Permanent Secretary however enjoined the school management and users to ensure adequate monitoring and maintenance of the facilities.

The District Governor Rotary International 9110, Mr. Bola Oyebade explained that the Club with it’s tentacles spread across the globe will continue to support any ideal project that will uplift humanity.

Oyebade stressed that the gesture is one of the Club’s Intervention in education sector and this month of September is dedicated to basic education and literacy, hence the call for the intervention.

“We are providing for the students and the benefit of mankind, a Laboratory of Chemistry and it’s benefits are enormous because it will allow the students to enjoy quality learning environment and the equipments will expose them to what obtained globally in the field of science.

“Rotarians have not stop at doing what they know how to do best, we have ensured that people that need support received it.

“We are also asking people to be courageous as we are giving support in the area of Health and entrepreneurial endeavors.
We are not going to give up, we will continue to support people and recruit more members for better opportunities.” he said

Beside, the Club earlier issued cheque for interest-free loan to 10 individuals as a form of empowerment by the club, and this according to the President of Rotary Club Omole-Golden, Mr. Alih Ogwu, is a way to intervene in the business environment for it’s sustainability, as he expressed optimism in the intervention in other areas.

“One of the mandate of our Club is to empower small scale businesses to be able to get on thier feet and be a better citizens and this is what we do every year and it’s a way to support them and also cushion the economic challenges being faced at the moment.” Ogwu stressed

The beneficiaries of the free loan according to the President are expected to pay back in six months.

Meanwhile, the Principal of the beneficiary School, Ajuwon Senior High School, Mrs Omolara Osewa commended the gesture of the Club, aimed at improving standard of public schools in the State and development of the education sector in Nigeria.

Osewa said that a school without a standard functional science Laboratory is like an automobile without a wheel and as no meaningful impact can be achieved in the field of science in such school, stressing the need for students to get more exposed to rudiments of interacting with scientific equipment.

She said: “The importance of having a functional science Laboratory cannot be over emphasised, because it exposes the young learners to acquisition of manipulative, inquiry, investigative, organisational and communicative skills in order to make informed decision in life.

“It also makes room for development of cognitive abilities such as critical thinking, problem solving, analysis, synthesis and application as against rote learning otherwise known as memorisation”

She, however, emphasised the need for adequate attention to be directed to building more robust functional science laboratories across the country, in order to afford the young and energetic learners channel thier inquisitive minds to make significant contributions in the field of science and technology.