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In order to support their education as well as ease financial burden on parents, 20 pupils from selected public primary schools in Ijebu-Igbo, Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State have been awarded fully funded scholarships by a non-profit organisation, Tola Adebajo Foundation (TAF).
The pupils who have been benefitting from the foundation's scholarship scheme for the past three years; were also given back to school kits and provision of cash for levy payment.
The students were drawn from five schools within the Atikori area, namely: St James's Anglican Primary Schools 1 & 2, Christ Disciple's Primary School, Shasu-Suudil Islamic Primary School and All Saints Primary School.
Speaking, the founder of the NGO, Prince Omotola Adebajo, said the initiative was a tradition he adopted to bless children from very disadvantaged homes since 2015 and was borne out of strong passion for humanity.
He said: "This initiative has come to stay and can only get better by expanding the scope of operations and distribution. I believe in giving back to the people and society. It is about passion and sense of duty, which always makes me fulfilled and to be at peace with myself."
According to him, "In August this year, with every sense of humility, we spent about N3millon to keep close to a thousand secondary school students, away from social vices during the vacation by organizing free summer coaching."
He added "What we are doing today again isn't the first time, we have data of every benefitting pupils in the last four years which the foundation updates and replaces any student once he or she graduates into secondary school.
We have done a lot under our educational policies in this locality, particularly for the most vulnerable, indigent students and women."
Adebajo explained that the foundation was more concerned about the lack of proper care parents give their children, saying most pupils come to school on empty stomach, hence disrupting concentration during academic activities.
He stated "This, however, must be a challenge to every wellmeaning individual, corporate agencies, and other critical stakeholders to rally round the students and lend their helping hands. The government can not do it all, so we all have to see where we can fit in to help in rescuing the education sector in the country".
Prince Adebajo, however, called on the federal government to reintroduce the home-grown school feeding programme initiated by the immediate past government led by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Chairman, Association of Primary School Head Teachers of Nigeria, Ijebu-Igbo Sub Zone, Mr. Gbenga Oyeleru, who is also the Head Teacher, Christ Disciple's Primary School, Atikori lauded the foundation for its continued support for indigent children in the community and contribution to the development of education in the state.
He said: “What Tola Adebajo Foundation is doing is commendable, and i hope more people can learn one or two things from it. The government must also be ready to encourage individuals into farming for profit-making, at least to help some parents cater to their children needs."
Coordinator of Tola Adebajo Foundation, Mr. Olufemi Oluyemi, Olamide Adebajo, Treasurer, and a few other members of the foundation were part of the people who supervised the distribution of the back to school kits at the various schools.
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