NGO provides educational support to primary school pupils in Cross River
A non-governmental organization, Val Orphanage and Educational Foundation, has provided educational support for pupils in primary schools across two local government areas in Cross River.
The gesture which is part of the NGO’s educational intervention under the “Girl Child and Boy Education Project”, captured no fewer than 400 pupils in primary schools in Odukpani and Yakurr local government areas.
The event which lasted for two days, 21st and 22nd March 2023, took place in four primary schools – three in Odukpani and one in Ekori community in Yakurr LGA.
In Odukpani, over 295 pairs of sandals were distributed to indigent and orphaned pupils, who came to school barefooted and/or with tattered shoes in St. Patrick Primary School, Adiabo Ikot Ndo; Government Primary School, Akim Akim; and St. Theresa Primary School.
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Also distributed were writing materials such as exercise books, erasers, pen and sharpeners to over 250 pupils.
Valerie Osuake Omini, founder of the NGO further disclosed that in Ekori community, “our humanitarian intervention took us to the Government Migrant Primary School, Ekori Beach, Yakurr LGA where we rendered financial assistance to 100 recipient pupils of the school. The services included paying of three terms school fees, First School Leaving Certificate, FSLC Examination Fees, donating of writing materials etc to indigent pupils in this rural communities.”
On what inspired her to embark on the educational intervention, Omini, who was represented by Mr Efio-Ita Nyok, explained that she embarked on the Girl child and Boy Education project to encourage both gender to get equitable education and equality in the learning process.
“I embarked on it in mostly the rural area of Cross River State because most poor people live in the rural areas and they are faced with alot of challenges such as unemployment, high level of illiteracy, extreme poverty, poor infrastructures and low social interaction. The project is aimed at encouraging the parents and pupils to get basic education.”
Reacting to the gesture, the head teacher of St. Patrick Primary School, Adiabo Ikot Ndo, Odukpani, Evang. Augustina Effiong Ita, while expressing her gratitude, observed that the pupils who are largely from indigent homes will be positively impacted.
“In fact, what you have just done today, the children who are not in school today will regret ever staying away from school, you know children being who they are, they will feel you will keep on coming, the turn out from tomorrow will be impressive, some of them will not want to stay back from school again,” she said.
On his part, Mr Ofor Itam Bassey the head teacher of Government Migrant Primary School, Ekori Beach, admitted that it is difficult for majority of parents of wards to pay school fees.
According to him, “the gesture by the foundation is very very impactful, you see the smiles on the faces of the parents, they are very happy.”
The Paradise gathered that the second phase of the foundation’s educational intervention will be at Akpabuyo and Bakassi LGAs until every school in all the 18 LGAs of the state are impacted.