By Okechukwu Onuegbu
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| Commissioner for Education, Professor Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, Igwe Michael Okeke-Uche and others at the unveiling of the lab |
Group of intelligentsia in Enugwu-Agidi, Njikoka Local Government Area (LGA), Anambra State, under the auspices of Educate Enugwu-Agidi Committee (EEAC), have provided a newly refurbished and equipped modern science laboratory to the Community Secondary School (CSS), Enugwu-Agidi.
EEAC has also performed a groundbreaking ceremony for a new 6-bedroom Corpers’ (NYSC) Lodge, which upon completion, will be a gigantic six self-contained bedrooms for youth corpers.
The group unveiled these educational initiatives at CSS on Thursday, in an event graced by the State Commissioner for Education, Professor Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, the traditional ruler of Enugwu Agidi, Igwe Michael Okeke-Uche and cabinet members, including the Awka zonal education director, teachers, students and general public.
The edifice named Mrs. Mary Okam Laboratory Complex, contains the biology, chemistry, physics labs and an ICT center, was built because of the EEAC's goal of ensuring that the school is well-staffed at all times with comfortable, free accommodation provided for youth corpers posted to the school.
Mrs. Mary Okam (Ojiefiazaoku), who was immortalised with this gigantic laboratory, was an illustrious daughter of Enugwu-Agidi, renowned educationist who was passionate about the education of children during her lifetime. Okam's family foundation, Ojiefi Foundation, which is committed to preserving the legacy of their mother invested immensely in this project, is also committed to supporting EEAC efforts to erect new buildings to accommodate the increasing population of secondary school-age children in Enugwu-Agidi.
EEAC is a group of like-minded and education passionate individuals from Enugwu-Agidi, whose members are Prince Dr. Chinedu Ikeanyi - Coordinator, Engr. Victor Onwundinjo - Project Coordinator, Chief Nnamdi Okam, Engr. Nnoli Okoye, Ozo Sunny Okoye (Obah), Mrs. Angela Aguolu, Evang. Mrs. Irene Nwachukwu, Dr. Chisom Nwaneki and Mr. Ebuka Okeke (Teacher/School Rep). They also have associate members and donors such as Ozo Innocent Obiorah, Engr. Chuks Nwodili, Dr. Samuel Anameze, Chief Osita Nwanisiobi, Ozo Clem Aguiyi and Ichie Emeka Onuorah.
In this era of emphasis in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), EEAC is committed to ensuring that both secondary schools have modern, functional science laboratories. At CSS specially, most of their facilities were previously burnt and destroyed by herdsmen and other hoodlums, thereby forcing the community members to attend school at far distance neighbouring communities due to absence of science teachers and equipment for science practical class.
According to one member of the EEAC, “We want to stop the current practice of our children going to Amawbia or Awka schools for their secondary school experiences simply because there are no functional science labs at Enugwu-Agidi schools.”
These community initiated and funded projects are coordinated by the members of Educate Enugwu-Agidi Committee (EEAC), which sought for and received donations from many generous indigenes of Enugwu-Agidi who are committed to ensuring that every Enugwu-Agidi child receives quality education at any of our two public secondary schools.
The total cost for rehabilitating the Laboratories Complex at Community Secondary School, Enugwu-Agidi, is about N25m, while N6.5m was expanded on rehabilitation of the 2-Classrooms of the 6-Classrooms block at Government Technical School, Enugwu-Agidi. Ozo Innocent Obiorah single handedly funded the 2-Classrooms of the 6-Classrooms block rehabilitation at Government Technical School, Enugwu-Agidi in partnership with ASUBEB.
Enugwu-Agidi Brotherly Union (EBU) National Executive Committee actually started the rehabilitation work by doing the wooden roof truss but got stuck for over one year before EEAC took over and completed the works. The steel doors and windows were installed by the EBU NEC after EEAC had fabricated theirs, some of which were thereafter used in the ASUBEB rehabilitated 5-Classrooms block in the School.
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| Cross section of students |
EEAC is a subsidiary of the Matrons and Patrons Club of CSS and GTC Enugwu-Agidi, a committee which was formed by both the principals of CSS Enugwu-Agidi, Mrs. Teckla Ekwy Azubuike, and her counterpart, Mrs. Lip Ogbobe, the principal of Government Technical College (GTC) Enugwu-Agidi, in response to Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo charge to the principals.
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| Students performing cultural dance |
Soludo had charged School principals in Anambra State to mobilize the indigenes of the towns where they are assigned to, to assist in developing local schools. Today’s event is a testimony to how the people of Enugwu-Agidi have responded to Governor’s Soludo’s vision.
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| Igwe Michael Okeke-Uche blessing kolanut |
The goal of EEAC, it was learnt, is to wipe out illiteracy in Enugwu-Agidi by ensuring that any child of secondary school age has access to a quality school on Enugwu-Agidi soil. To achieve this goal, the Committee said it was committed to rebuilding and remodeling the aging and dilapidated buildings and infrastructure at both secondary schools in the community.
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| Igwe Michael Okeke-Uche |
Speaking at the occasion the National Coordinator, EEAC, Dr Chinedu Ikeanya, represented by Engr. Victor Onwudinjo, recalled that the group had in the past built security post for the school, as well as provide other infrastructure to the Government Technical College, recruit and pay teachers to boost their teaching and learning.
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| Engr Onwudinjo representing Dr Ikeanya |
Ikeanya, who commended Anambra State government for providing perimeter fencing to the College, implored them to assist with the provision of more manpower and all the necessary lab equipment for maximum benefits to the students.
"We have done our part as a community, and it is now up to the government to meet us halfway by providing modern science equipment for the labs and ICT Center," he stated.
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| CSS principal |
On her part, the Principal, Community Secondary School, Enugu-Agidi, Mrs. Teckla Ekwy Azubuike, thanked the Association and Anambra State government for coming to their rescue, noting that the laboratory, corpers lodge and other basic amenities would help in making the place conducive for effective teaching and learning.
Azubike, who recalled that assistance of the school and government was why the staff and students had increased in recent time, however, urged for provision of more security, science teachers and infrastructure development.
Also speaking, the Traditional Ruler of Enugwu-Agidi, HRH Igwe Michael Okeke-Uche, urged governor Soludo to come to their rescue by fortifying the community and schools security with a view to enabling them combat insecurity, even as he called for improved security presence to save the community from the hands of kidnappers and other security challenges.
Igwe Okeke-Uche, who recalled how herdsmen and other hoodlums set the secondary school's dormitory and other infrastructure ablaze in the past, praised the government for providing perimeter fencing and EEAC for building a security post, providing them with more teachers, laboratory and other infrastructure development.
He further called on governor Chukwuma Soludo to remember the community by providing them with road and other basic amenities which he believed would assist them in attracting more development.
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| Commissioner Chuma-Udeh and others |
Responding, the Education Commissioner, Professor Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, commended the community for keying into governor Chukwuma Soludo's Public Private Partnership (PPP) which she said was aimed at deepening development at grassroots level.
She assured the CSS that the ministry of education was ready to post more school teachers to them according to their request, as well as partner with EEAC and other like-minded individuals to improve the institution for effective teaching and learning.