Education
Foundation Donates Books To Prisoners, Orphans In Jos
The Yahaya Kwande Foundation, at the weekend, donated inspirational books to some prison inmates and orphans in Jos.
Donating the books at separate fora, Yusuf Yahaya-Kwande, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the foundation, said the materials would give the inmates hope and opportunities to explore new ventures in life after serving their jail terms.
He added that the books would enable them contribute meaningfully to the economic growth and development of the country when free.
“Studies have shown that reading books in prison can be therapeutic; it helps to rekindle the inmates’ hope as well as educate and motivate them to explore new ventures in life.
“ It can reduce stress and minimise the occurrence of violence and suicide among prisoners.
“Our aim is that after their jail terms, these inmates will go home with a new mentality about the importance of life and freedom and work to be functioning members of their society.
“They would contribute to the growth and development of the community and be role models to their friends and families,” he said.
The CEO added that the gesture was also aimed at reviving the eroding reading culture among young people, adding that this informed the donation to orphanages.
He also said the move would promote reading culture among families which may likely have no access to the books, thereby availing them the opportunity to improve their lives.
“We buy books from Spine and Label bookstore, Abuja. We also partner with them to select books of various genres and curricula for the user’s needs.
“So far, we have delivered 800 books to two orphanages, a school and prison. Our next delivery is planned for Benue prison, a school in Abuja and another orphanage,”he said
Yusuf also disclosed that the foundation had made contact with reputable publishers abroad in order to import books to execute the project across the country.
Receiving the donated books, ASC Martha Banda, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Plateau Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), thanked the foundation for the gesture.
She promised to ensure that the inmates put them to good use.
“The books donated to our inmates will help enhance their learning ability, improve their vocabularies, most importantly occupy their minds from negative tendencies which will help contribute to their turning a new leaf and become better individuals in the society.
“The importance of books can never be ignored.
“ The books are full of knowledge, they will teach them wisdom, solution, new perspective, imagination as well as improve confidence and mental health,” she said.
The Tide source reports that CLAPAI Orphanage, Hope For Survival Orphanage and Trust International School benefitted from the gesture.
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, emphasised the need for students to go beyond academic achievements during the university’s 43rd Convocation ceremony.
The theme, “The University Culture In Practice, The IAUE Experience,” highlights the importance of embracing cherished traditions and intellectual values that define great universities.
Prof. Onuchuku encouraged the new graduates to work hard and persevere, noting that their convocation marks a new beginning in their careers and personal lives. He emphasised that they must prove themselves worthy of the certificates and prizes they have received.
According to him, out of 2,887 first-degree graduands, four made First Class, 403 secured Second Class Upper, 2,030 got Second Class Lower, and 450 graduated with Third Class. Additionally, 1,492 postgraduate students graduated, including 306 PhD holders.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), praised the university’s commitment to academic excellence and institutional maturity. He commended the Acting Vice Chancellor for achieving full accreditation for 47 academic programmes and implementing the NUC’s Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards.
The administrator urged the new graduates to uphold the positive values instilled in them by the university and strive for continuous knowledge and improvement.
By: King Onunwor
The Niger Delta Students Union Government, Rivers State Chapter (NIDSUG), has suspended its planned protest against the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) state office in Port Harcourt. The suspension followed an intervention by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju.
The students had planned to protest on Thursday, citing alleged neglect by the NDDC, particularly in welfare and capacity-building programmes for students from the state. However, after the police intervention, the students agreed to participate in a roundtable discussion with the commission to address their concerns.
NIDSUG leader, Comrade Loveday Njoku, expressed dissatisfaction with the commission’s alleged exclusion of students from benefiting from its programmes. He presented a seven-point demand, including the reintroduction of scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Njoku emphasised that education is crucial for community development and urged the commission to invest in the future leaders of the state.
The students warned that if their demands are not met, they will resume the protest and occupy the state commission office until their demands are addressed. Despite previous attempts to reach out to the commission’s management team, the students claimed their efforts were unsuccessful.
By: Akujobi Amadi
As part of efforts to improve the welfare and overall quality of education for students in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, the Sole Administrator, Sir (Dr.) Clifford Ndu Walter DSSRS, FCAI, JP, paid an unscheduled visit to Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi.
During the visit, Sir Walter expressed deep concern over the deplorable state of the school and its surrounding environment. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the development of the education sector, stressing its critical role in nation-building.
“I have visited the primary school in Ogbogoro, and now I’m here at the Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi. I am not satisfied with what I’ve seen,” he stated, indicating that more surprise visits to schools would follow.
To address the issues, the Sole Administrator directed the Council Engineer to commence process for rehabilitation of the school.
The visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at conducting on-the-spot assessments of educational facilities to determine the level of intervention required by the local government council.
Dr. Walter also assured the teachers of his unwavering commitment to revamp the school and improve the learning environment for both staff and students.