In a move to encourage girl child education in Cross River State, a philanthropist based in Cross River, Mr Ndifreke Augustine Hanson has donated English language textbooks valued at several thousand naira to the students of Government Secondary School, located in Big Qua Town, Calabar.
During an interview with Tribune Online on Monday, the Nigerian youth, who also works as a private school teacher, expressed that his decision was motivated by the goal to cultivate reading habits in children, stressing that ‘as Nigerians, English language is the mother of all subjects’.
According to him, it has been a fundamental aspect of his mission to offer hope to underprivileged students. As a teacher, he has noticed that many parents do not have the financial means to buy essential books for their children. Therefore, he has taken the initiative to assist in advancing students by providing writing and reading materials.
Hanson called on the Cross River State government to prioritize the significance of promoting reading in public schools, expressing his commitment to supporting and encouraging additional public schools to allocate resources towards education.
Furthermore, he urged other philanthropic Nigerians to join in the effort of providing necessary materials for schools, emphasizing that his contribution will persist as long as he receives blessings from God.
He implored the recipients of his educational initiatives to be diligent in their studies and charged them not to be discouraged by the alarming rate of unemployment.
“Don’t just study to pass examination but study to get knowledge. Be serious with all the subjects even though all of them will not be needed to gain admission into tertiary institutions but as you grow up, you’ll need the knowledge in those non-compulsory subjects in your career and other endeavours.”
In her remarks, the Principal, Government Girls Secondary School, Big Qua, Mrs Arit Ota Onaga, expressed appreciation to Mr Ndifreke for his kind gesture.
She said that the gesture had shown that there are people who are ready to partner with the government in providing qualitative education to students in the state.
“I must really commend the young man for his gesture because it takes grace to do what he has done. And since it’s on a personal note, I must really tell him to thank you very much and I pray this laudable gesture will not stop at this point, God will give him the grace to further do more and then, in turn, I know the children will make good use of it, we pray God to bless him and enlarge his coast, so that wherever he has taken that from, more will come his way,” she said.
ALSO READ THESE TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNEÂ
and then