250 students get scholarship in Irepodun

FILE PHOTO

A foundation in Kwara State, Sunday Babalola Foundation, has awarded scholarship to 250 students in Irepodun Local Government area of the state.

Speaking during the second edition of the scholarship award ceremony in Omu-Aran, the founder of the foundation, Engineer Sunday Babalola, said a total of 140 indigent pupils/students of Omu-Aran origin in secondary schools, polytechnics and universities were awarded a scholarship by the foundation last year.

Babalola, who said the gesture had been extended to other towns in Irepodun Local Government Area in this year’s edition, added that the extension increased the number of beneficiaries to 250.

The donor said the gesture was not driven by political ambition but the commitment to human capital development as a strategy to address poverty, unemployment and crime.

Babalola, a governorship aspirant in the state, also lamented the state of primary and post-primary public schools in the state and called on the state government, corporate organisations and individuals to encourage education by living up to public expectation.

“The shortfall in revenue from the federation account is taking its toll on the education sector in many states, Kwara inclusive. This is alongside job losses, infrastructural decay, poor environment and inadequate motivation for workers in the education sector.

“There are many classrooms with broken leuvres, doors, chairs and desks, that endanger the safety of our children, teachers and other workers. Some of the classrooms do not even have desks; compelling our students to sit on bare-floor or even come with their chairs and desks from home. Such development in this 21st century is retrogressive and must be addressed,” he said.

“While not holding brief for the government for these observed lapses, which cast doubts on its responsiveness to its educational responsibilities in the state, corporate bodies, groups and individuals must rise to the occasion and lift our children as well as education workers from this pitiable situation.