The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) and Chevron Lukoil Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited have donated 60 computers to secondary schools in Kogi, and trained 30 teachers.
The Commissioner For Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Wemi Jones, disclosed this during the official handing over of the items to Kogi Government by the donors, at GYB Model Secondary School, Adankolo, Lokoja.
The commissioner said the gesture was part of the Education Intervention Programme, Kogi State 2023, to deliver quality education to the people of the state.
Jones further disclosed that the State Government had declared free education at public primary and secondary schools in the state beginning from the next academic session.
According to him, the free education policy of the State Government includes payment of examination fees for pupils writing the first School Leaving School Certificate, and students writing Junior WAEC examination, SSCE, NECO and JAMB examination.
He expressed appreciation that the public schools have become better positioned and competing favourably with private schools in the state.
Jones said the state government under the leadership of Gov Yahaya Bello, has since assumption of office made education topmost priority in its thematic areas, with annual 30 per cent of budgetary allocation to the sector.
He added that the gesture to pay examination fees for all public school students from next session was part of efforts to sustain education as topmost priority amongst the eight thematic areas of the present administration.
The commissioner thanked the donors for keying into the state’s Schools Adoption and Mentorship Programme (SAMP), saying, “Gov. Bello has matched talk with action through practical demonstration”.
Jones stressed that the deliberate policy by the present administration in the state is geared towards drastically reducing poverty and out of school children.
He added that the Kogi State Education Law enacted by the present administration had criminalised children and parents who do not go or send their children to school.
In his remarks, the Director, Star Ultra Deep Petroleum Limited, Chevron Company, Michelle Pelueger, said the donation and training were aimed at assisting in high grade teaching, learning and empowering students in the state for the challenges of the future.
Also speaking,, the Chief Upstream Investment Officer, NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services, Bala Wunti, expressed NNPC’s commitment to improving the lives of Nigerians through education.
The School Principal, Chief Yakubu Godwin, who spoke on behalf of the benefitting schools described the gesture as a milestone.
According to him, it would complement the unprecedented achievements of Gov. Yahaya Bello in improving learning and teaching.
