By Kokumo Goodie, Lagos, Nigeria
The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Mr. Michael Ikpoki, has restated the telco’s strong commitment to partnering with government to develop the education sector.
Ikpoki who spoke during the closing ceremony of the annual volunteerism programme tagged 21 Days of Y’ello Care, in Lagos, stressed that the fact that the focus of this year’s is Investing in Education for All, underscored the importance attached to the sector.
It added that the last 21 days were quite eventful and focused on providing conducive environment for learning in schools.
Ikpoki said: “Seventeen digital libraries were set up in primary and secondary schools across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria. Training and empowerment seminars were conducted for one hundred teachers of the Lagos State Ministry of Education and a book reading session was organised for students to imbibe the reading habit in them.”
Ikpoki expressed gratitude to stakeholders that partnered the ctelco to ensure the success of the programme including the State Ministry of Education and all the schools that opened their doors to the telco, “Your efforts have no doubt enriched our projects and enhanced their impact”, said Ikpoki.
A major highlight of the closing ceremony was a keenly contested quiz competition among seven schools, which was eventually won by Gbaja Girls Secondary School and New Era Girls Secondary School, both located in Surulere, Lagos. Each school received Laptops loaded with MTN’s educational bundle.
Other activities included the visit to nine orphanages and motherless babies home in the six geopolitical zones of the country donating household and food items such as nutritional drinks, foodstuff, and mosquito nets among other things. MTNers also provided the children with basic amenities to not only sustain them in the homes, but to keep them happy and catered for. Other educational materials were donated while the senior management staff of the centres also encouraged and mentored the students on their desired career paths.
MTN through the programme, contributed its quota towards improving educational standards, providing an enabling environment for learning and instilling the pivotal role of education in the development of the nation. This year, specific activities included empowering teachers, book reading sessions for students and establishment of digital libraries in select secondary/primary schools across the country to promote a healthy, voluntary study habit among students.
