Jubilation as NGO hands over 6-classroom block to Enugu Govt

Jubilation rented the air at Umuolo Primary School, Opi-uno, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State , when Julie Helping Hand Foundation, an NGO, handed over the keys of a block of six classrooms to the state government.

Speaking at the handover ceremony in Nsukka on Saturday, Mrs Juliet Chuks, the NGO Founder,  said the classrooms, which cost more than N12 million, were equipped with floor tiles, quality doors, windows and ceilings.

“Materials used in the building are quality materials to ensure it lasts for many years.

“The aim of the foundation is to give hope and touch lives, especially to the children and women in the rural areas,” Chuks said.

The founder said she was a former pupil of the primary school.

“I shed tears when I saw that pupils in my alma mater were learning in dilapidated classrooms with leaking roofa and broken walls.

“If a child does not learn in a conducive environment, how will he be able to compete with his counterparts in any part of the world?

“The foundation established in 2016 will continue to do its best to improve the lives of children and women in the rural areas,“ she said.

Chuks, a pharmacist, urged the Enugu State Government through Enugu State Universal Education Board (ENSUBEB) to help ensure that pieces of furniture were provided in the new classrooms.

According to her, it will be unfair if the government allowed the pupils to sit on the floor in the new classrooms,” she said.

She commended the Umolo Opi-uno Community, especially the traditional ruler, Igwe Ben Attama, for their cooperation and words of encouragement.

Speaking while receiving the keys to the new classrooms, Chief Ikeji Asogwa, Chairman of ENSUBEB, commended the foundation for helping the government to provide a conducive environment for teaching and learning.

Asogwa urged other organisations to emulate Julie Foundation since government could not develop the education sector alone.

He promised that the board would help to provide desks and tables for the new classrooms.

In a remark, Igwe Ben Attama, on behalf of his subjects, expressed appreciation to the foundation for building the classrooms.

He prayed God to reward the foundation abundantly.

“Chuks is our beloved daughter, we are happy she used her foundation to put smiles on our faces by building classrooms for our children,” he said.

The traditional, however, expressed disappointment that Umolo Primary School had not benefited much from the government as the community had been providing most things for the school.

“Government has been building classroom blocks for many communities in the state but our community has not benefited even one.

“The community has written many letters to the government to this effect, as well as begging for posting of more teachers to the school, but all to no avail.

“At present, the teachers we have in the primary school are not up to five,” he said.

Earlier, Mrs Theresa Ugwuanyi,  the Headmistress of the school, commended the foundation for the new classroom block.

Ugwuanyi said that the new six classrooms would be a big relief to the pupils and teachers.

“We beg the government and lovers of education to help us provide desks and tables in them, so that our joy will be full,” she said.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview Chikamso Onah, a Primary Five pupil and Sunday Ugwuoti a Primary Six pupil prayed God to bless Julie Foundation.

They urged the Enugu State Government to help provide furniture for the new classrooms.

“God will bless the foundation abundantly for providing conducive environment for us to learn,” Onah said.

“Now the foundation has helped to build classrooms for us, government should help provide desks and tables,” Ugwuoti said

NAN reports that the highlights of the occasion were welcome song, drama and recitations by the pupils to show their appreciation.  (NAN)