In commemoration of Basic Education and Literacy Month, the Rotary Club of Ibadan Gold provided school uniforms and textbooks to secondary school students at Our Lady of Apostles, Mary Way, Odo-Ona, Ibadan on Monday.
The outreach, themed “Cloth a Child and Secure the Future,” saw about 80 students receive free school uniforms, while textbooks were also donated to the school’s library. The event featured motivational talks, a question-and-answer session, gift presentations, and project execution.
Speaking at the ceremony, the club’s president, Oyewole Fashina, explained the reason behind the outreach, noting that September is dedicated to basic education and literacy.
“Providing education to a child is a crucial step in securing the future. We discovered that many indigent students are just managing their uniforms, with some having used the same ones for several years. This prompted my club members and me to produce 80 pairs of uniforms and procure textbooks in various subjects, including biology, English, chemistry, physics, geography, and economics, for students from SS1 to SS3, marking this special month,” Fashina said.
He further encouraged students and parents not to relent in their efforts, despite economic challenges. “We encourage the students to study hard to attain great heights in the near future and motivate the parents to continue catering to their academic needs,” he added.
The Project Committee Chairperson, Mrs. Ajagbe Oluwaremilekun, urged the students to strive for excellence, emphasising the significance of giving back to society and supporting those in need.
“We conducted a survey and found that most students needed uniforms, which was affecting their school attendance. This prompted us to donate 80 uniforms and textbooks to the library, and we hope to do more in the future,” Oluwaremilekun explained.
The school principal, Mrs. Osigwe Oyeronke, expressed her gratitude to the Rotary Club for their generosity. “I am very happy for the kind gesture of the Rotary Club of Ibadan Gold. Many times, students don’t want to come to school because of their worn-out uniforms, often using cardigans to cover torn parts,” she said.
She added that the new uniforms and textbooks would motivate the students to improve academically. “These donations will go a long way in enhancing their learning process. I encourage others to emulate this gesture, as the government alone cannot meet all the needs,” Mrs Osigwe concluded.
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