Oyinlola Oyinkansola Monijesu
Pupils of the Community Primary School, Asa Olokuta, Ikogosi-Ekiti, received a boost as 300-level Mass Communication part-time students of Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere-Ekiti, supported them with learning materials.
The visit was a follow-up to an earlier fact-finding trip the students made to the rural community in March, where they assessed pressing needs.
After engaging residents, the group identified the primary school as a critical point of intervention, citing education as a key driver of development in line with Ekiti’s “Fountain of Knowledge” mantra.
On arrival, the delegation was received by the Baale of Asa Olokuta, Mr Abdulramon Adeniran, who doubles as the school’s PTA Chairman.
Mr Adeniran described the students’ gesture as life-changing support and thanked them for remembering the community.
At the school, the students addressed the pupils during a brief assembly before distributing stationery and footwear.
Each pupil received notebooks, pens, pencils, sharpeners, rulers, rubber shoes and socks.
The atmosphere turned lively as the children sang appreciation songs.
Parents who witnessed the exercise including Pastor Lucky Oshegbo praised lauded BOUESTI students, saying the gesture would assist the pupils in their academic pursuit
The outreach, tagged the Asa Olokuta Academic Empowerment Project, was funded through personal contributions by the students.
The leader of the group, Comrade Tolu Adebayo, said the class embarked on the mission to bridge the resource gap in rural schools and inspire the pupils to stay in school.
“Education should open doors for these children. If a pair of shoes or a notebook can keep a child in class, then we’ve done something worthwhile,” Adebayo said.
Headteacher of the school, Mrs Janet Ogunleye, confirmed that several pupils had stopped attending classes due to lack of basic materials.
She said the donation would boost enrollment and attendance, while calling on government and NGOs to extend similar support to other underserved schools.
