By Emeka Nwokocha
The Chairman of Warri South Local Government Council, Hon. (Dr.) Michael Tidi, has commended the Executive Director of Value Rebirth and Empowerment Initiative (VREI), Pastor (Comr.) Edewor Egedegbe for embarking on infrastructure development of Aileru primary school, Warri, noting that the ongoing water project, fencing of the school, and other programmes being executed by VREI and its partners, with support from Partnerschaft-Afrika e.V, would promote conducive learning environment and enhance teaching and learning in the school.
Hon. Tidi, gave the commendation Friday 28, April, 2023, at a one-day event, tagged, “Aileru Primary School Stakeholders’ Capacity Strengthening Session” organized by VREI.
Hon. Tidi, who was represented by the Secretary of the Council, Mr. Joseph Oribioye, assured of his government’s commitment to support initiatives that would put Aileru primary school in better shape towards enhancing teaching and learning.
Continuing, Hon. Tidi, said his government would maintain an unbroken partnership with VREI and Partnerschaft-Afrka e.V to ensure more work is done to address the challenges in the school. He stressed the need for support and collaboration from stakeholders in providing a conducive environment for learning. “If the environment is not conducive, proper learning cannot take place,” he stated.
While acknowledging the deplorable state of Aileru primary school, Dr. Tidi said that his government was committed to addressing the infrastructure challenges besetting the school, including making learning materials available to make teaching very effective, saying, “If government failed to develop the pupils, it will be a great disservice to the society..
Impressed by the projects being executed in the school by VREI, with support from Partnerschaft-Afrika e.V, including construction of borehole to provide portable water, weeding the school, construction of concrete perimeter fence and other services, Dr. Tidi encouraged Pastor Egedegbe to sustain the humanitarian gesture, assuring of his government’s support. He said, “Don’t be tired sustaining this good humanitarian work you’re doing as Almighty God would bless you and your team abundantly.”
He charged the teachers of the school to put to good use the facilities and ensure they are properly maintained.
Speaking, Pastor Egedegbe said, “The ongoing projects in the school being executed by VREI and its partners – Dr. Henry Ovri and Dr. (Mrs) Rachel Atomatofa, an Alumna of the School, with funding support from Partnerschaft-Afrika e.V, are a continuation of the “development” work we started in 2021/2022,” stating that it was an urgent intervention to address the infrastructure challenge in Aileru primary school.”
Continuing, Pastor Egedegbe thanked Partnerschaft-Afrika e.V for funding the projects, stating that the intervention is in line with the vision of VREI which centres on having a Nigerian society with value-driven citizens and institutions that promote sustainable peace and socioeconomic development.
“Our quest for a good and conducive learning environment for pupils of Aileru Primary school cannot be overemphasized,” He added.
According to Pastor Egedegbe, the cluster of ongoing projects in Aileru primary school include construction of bore hole facility and construction of perimeter fence, including “Main Access” Gate, and Pedestrian Gate.
In his presentation, Pastor Egedegbe, spoke extensively on the interventions VREI had embarked on in recent past geared towards addressing the infrastructure challenge of Aileru primary school.
He said, “On Friday 17th September 2021, VREI paid a fact-finding visit to the school and organized a one-day stakeholders capacity building programme on 18th November 2021 at the school premises. On 22nd February 2022, we fulfilled our promise and provided two brand new mowers to the school to ease cutting of overgrown grasses.”
He continued, “In the course of our fact-finding visits, we noted myriads of issues bedeviling the school, including dilapidated classroom blocks, blown off roofs of some of the classrooms, broken doors, windows and chairs, lack of toilet facility, and lack of portable water,” adding that lack of fence in the school exposes the pupils and teachers to huge risk.
Pastor Egedegbe further noted, “It was alarming to note that Aileru Primary school which used to boom with academic activities and had the capacity to accommodate over 1000 pupils could barely admit 100 pupils presently.” He blamed the sad development on dilapidated infrastructure, lack of teaching aids, and lack of a conducive learning environment, adding that the school premises have in recent times become a hub of clandestine meetings and consumption of drugs and illicit substances.
Continuing, Pastor Egedegbe emphasized the importance of quality education in the development of society. He said, “A school is a place where pupils should feel safe and be secured; where they can count on being treated with respect and acquire good education.”
He stated, “This is the reason good spirited Nigerians (Graduates from this school) and other spirited individuals, with support from Partnerschaft-Afrika e.V, have come together to execute this project in Aileru primary school.”
He called on the youths and other members of the First Marine Gate Community, where the school is situated, to cooperate with the organization (VREI), as it carries out the intervention projects in the school.
In his presentation, tagged, “Teachers’ Ethics, Behavioural Change and Value Systems as a Panacea to Good Education in Nigeria,” Dr. Andrew Agboro, said, “A school is a ‘safe haven’ where teachers teach pupils the required skills and self-esteem at a young age, with a goal to preventing them from being among the young adults who turn to drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, self-injury or suicide.
Emphasizing importance of a school in the wellbeing of society, he said, “To learn, grow and thrive, pupils need a physically and emotionally safe place,” stating that, “We will do everything in our power to see that the pupils get it because they deserve it.”
Speaking on the qualities that make a good teacher, Dr. Agboro said, “A good teacher recognizes that the interest and welfare of learners are his/her first and foremost concern and will handle each learner justly and impartially.”
He added, “A teacher is expected to be efficient and competent in the performance of his/her academic duties at all times and uphold the highest possible standards of quality education and make the best preparation for the career of teaching; A teacher shall place premium upon self-respect and self-discipline as the principle of personal behavior in all relationships with others and in all situations.”
While charging teachers to play the role of parents to the pupils, he said, “A teacher should deploy discipline, not to punish, to correct, not to force, to motivate not to obey with rigid “cadence,” and to choose to follow the right way.”
Continuing, he identified three types of values a teacher should explore as: Character values; Work values; and Personal Values. He further stated, “A teacher must be morally upright, honest, loyal and disciplined. For instance, a teacher must not smoke or drink alcohol in the presence of the pupils and in public places; he must dress neatly and decently to school and must be punctual.
Also speaking, Dr. Rachel Atomatofa, spoke eloquently on the importance of education in society, saying that primary school is the foundation of greater learning. She called on the youths to take education very serious saying “It is the foundation of nation building and bedrock of societal prosperity and development.” She stated, “When you are schooled, you become a better person in the society. Education avails one the opportunity to develop his/her intellectual capacity. On that note, we want to make Nigeria better through the right education,” adding that education is not scam.
Speaking earlier, Mrs. Augusta Omatsone, Education Secretary, Warri South LGA, and Mrs. Oghale Onokohwomi, representative of the Chief Inspector of Education, Warri South LGA, Mrs. Obigba, H.N, commended VREI and Partnerschaft-Afrka e.V for promoting quality education for the betterment of society. She assured that the government would address the infrastructure challenge in Aileru primary school to restore the school’s fading glory.
Continuing, they charged the youths to complement the effort of government to make the school a better learning place, stating that better improvement would be made when relevant stakeholders collaborate with the government in the development of the school.
In the same vein, the Headmistress of the school, Mrs. Elizabeth Okwueze, the immediate past Headmistress of the school, Mrs. Suzie Oteri, commended VREI and Partnerschaft-Afrka e.V for showing commitment in improving the standard of the school to ensure the pupils learn in a conducive environment.
They urged the government to put more resources into the education sector to address inherent challenges to teaching and learning. They appealed to the youths to join hands with the management of the school to achieve the desired progress.
The event was interactive as youth leaders, and members of the community made salient contributions to the discourse and called on the government to prioritize education and ensure Aileru primary school is put in good shape, even as they called on the government to increase the number of teachers in the school to make teaching very effective.