ABEOKUTA — A physically challenged Senior Secondary School 3 student of St. Peter Grammar School, Olomore, Ogun State, Paul, was among beneficiaries who received a laptop and cash gift from Sen. Shuaibu Afolabi Salisu during an education support programme in Abeokuta.
Salisu, who represents Ogun Central Senatorial District, in the National Assembly presented the items to the student at a programme held Wednesday at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta.
The event, which attracted students, parents, teachers, leaders of Ancoppss, ASSUS and government officials, also featured the distribution of educational materials to more than 1,000 students and beneficiaries of the senator’s scholarship scheme.
The materials included school bags, exercise books, laptops, JAMB past questions and mathematical sets.
Salisu, popularly known as Omo Yayi said the intervention was aimed at supporting students, reducing the financial burden on parents and promoting access to education and Information and Communication Technology skills.
He said his commitment to education was informed by his personal experience and the opportunities education had provided him.
The senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, said he rose from being the first graduate in his family to becoming a senator through education and determination.
Speaking on the theme, “Investing in Education, Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders,” Salisu said he would continue to support students and schools, regardless of whether such interventions attracted immediate recognition.
He recalled that his interest in education was strengthened in 1980 when he represented his school in a quiz and debating programme broadcast by the Nigerian Television Authority.
Salisu said his parents encouraged him to remain focused on his education and to stand by what he believed was right.
He said, “I knew that the only passport to becoming part of society and developing myself was through education. That was 46 years ago, in 1980.
“Today, I have had the opportunity to work in the private sector, in four banks, leading technology and operations, and in multinationals. I have worked in this state as Chief of Staff and today I am a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The senator said his interventions in schools were designed to provide students with the facilities and skills needed to improve their academic performance and prepare for the future.
He listed Community High School, Oluke, where an ICT centre was provided in memory of the late Sen. Kole Oyeru, among the beneficiaries of his projects.
He added that other schools had received ICT facilities, science laboratories and related educational infrastructure.
Salisu urged the beneficiaries to use the opportunities provided to them to improve their lives and contribute to the development of their families and communities.
He said, “I am hoping that 20 or 30 years down the line, some of you will be able to tell the story of how these educational materials inspired you to become a senator and to become a light that will lift your family out of poverty.”
Commissioner commends senator
The Ogun Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabuwo, commended Salisu for supporting students and schools in the state.
Arigbabuwa described the gesture as an investment in the future of the beneficiaries and urged them to remain focused on their studies.
He said the intervention complemented the state government’s efforts to prioritise education.
The commissioner said Salisu’s support had extended beyond the distribution of learning materials to include ICT centres, science laboratories, technical colleges and other educational projects.
He said the materials would help reduce the burden on parents and improve students’ preparation for examinations.
Arigbabuwo also recalled that the senator had previously supported outstanding students, including two University of Lagos graduates who recorded a 5.0 grade point average and received laptops.
He urged Salisu to sustain the initiative and encouraged the beneficiaries to justify the investment in their education.
Students receive laptops, cash gifts
At the programme, the best-performing students in the recently concluded West Africann Senior School Certificate Examination from Ansar-deen High School, Ishaga, and Oluke Community High School, including Ogunlade Ogunlade John Omotolani and Busari Kaosarat, Aramide received laptops and cash gifts.
Salisu said he was pleased that the beneficiaries emerged from rural public schools, adding that their performance showed what students could achieve when given the necessary support.
The senator said the intervention was intended to create opportunities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds to compete favourably with their peers.
Schools compete in debate
Thirty-two students from 16 secondary schools across the senatorial district also participated in a debate titled, “The Benefits of A1 in Education Outweigh Its Risks.”
Oke-Ona Grammar School, Abeokuta, won the competition and received N200,000.
Ebenezer Grammar School came second and received N150,000, while United Comprehensive High School, Wasimi, placed third and received N50,000.
Ibusi Comprehensive High School, Ifo, came fourth and Lafenwa High School , in the fifth received N50,000 each.
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