APWEN donates textbooks to schools in Kogi state

Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), has donated 451 textbooks and other instructional materials to pupils of three schools at LGEA Central Primary Schools, Ofugo, Ankpa Local Government Area (LGA) of Kogi.

Presenting the materials to the pupils on Wednesday, the APWEN President, Mrs Felicia Agubata, urged the pupils to make good use of the textbooks so as to have a brighter future.

Represented by Mrs Margaret Ojo, the APWEN state’s Chairperson, Agubata, said the gesture was a follow-up to its programme tagged: “Invent it, Build it”, aimed at inspiring pupils especially the girls to take up the sciences to pursue a career in Engineering’’.

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She said the textbooks were donated by the former President of Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Mr Kashim Ali, who had his primary education at the school, in collaboration with APWEN.

She noted that Ali, had also on April 25, in collaboration with APWEN, donated uniforms to 456 pupils and gave 10 laptops and scholarships to 10 pupils across various primary schools in Ankpa LGA.

She said that they had also done a ground-breaking ceremony of a Science and Technology Laboratory, to be built by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and managed by APWEN.

“Today, we have donated 451 textbooks including teacher’s workbooks from primary one to six. This gesture is to support the pupils in their educational career,’’ Agubata said.

She advised the teachers to make good use of those books for the benefit of the pupils and not to sell them, saying, “It is free for the children and not to be sold to them’’.

Mrs Rosemary Osikoya, Kogi Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, extolled the former COREN president and APWEN for the gesture, urging individuals, groups and organisations to do same to a school in their domain.

“We are very grateful for the textbooks, and we are also not unaware of the uniforms, laptops and scholarships given to our pupils. We are excited; everyone should adopt a school, ‘’ she said.

Represented by Mr Ikwuje Pius, the Director, Basic and Secondary Education in the ministry, Osikoya said that the gesture had reduced the burden on government providing essential services including uniforms and instructional materials.

According to her, the donation of the textbooks was also part of activities by the ministry to commemorate the “World International Literacy Day’’, celebrated every Sept. 8.

She, therefore, urged the pupils, teachers and parents to ensure proper maintenance of what had been given to them in order to attract more.

Mrs Grace Okpanachi, who spoke on behalf of Education Secretary in Ankpa LGA, commended the gesture and thanked the commissioner for paying adequate attention to the school.

Okpanachi noted that no such attention had been given to the school ever since it was established in 1948, saying, “we are very grateful”.

Miss Karimat Yusuf, who spoke on behalf of other pupils, thanked the donors for the textbooks.

“We are happy for our textbooks today and uniforms which they gave us the other time,’’ Yusuf said.