Kunle Adelabu
The Rotary Club Ikorodu Metropolitan began its new calendar year under its new President, Rotarian Ashamu Oluwaseyi Idris, with execution of one of the club’s cardinal programme by supporting educational development of kids with learning materials.
Different educational and other learning materials were presented to the children at the Nursery section of its adopted school, Methodist Primary School, Oke Eletu, Ijede Local Council Development Area of Ikorodu Division, Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria.
The items were presented to the kids whom the President and other members of the Rotary had great and fun time with; singing and sharing love with, on Friday, September 29, 2023, in commemoration of the 2023 Basic Education and Literacy Month.
Some of the items include: Cloth Button thread, Play Sand & Kit, Popsicle stick ( Color), Egg Matching Puzzle Shoe lacing,Bolt and Nuts, Threading and Beading, Pipe cleaners, Model Animals, Spindle Box and Stencils ( Upper case, lower case, shapes, Fruit and Vegetables, Number and Object).
Also, Dropper & Turkey Baster, Magnetic Moveable alphabet, Montessori Hundred board, Model Fruit and Vegetables, Number Tower, Geometric Solid with sorting cards, Number Foot Mat Shapes Foot Mat, LCD Writing Tablet, Jigsaws Puzzle and Life Cycle of different Animals card with 3 part cards, Pink Tower, Object Stamp (39Pieces) and Letter and number tracing stamp (36Pieces)
The club also presented packs of lotion to the children.
Rotarian PP Ojo S. Oludayo, Project Chairman, RC Ikorodu Metro (2023 – 2024) set the tone of the presentation at the school when he presented the learning materials to the school’s Head Teacher, other staff and the children in the Nursery section of the school, stating that the presentation was part of the club’s duty in promoting education.
“The primary aim here today as the Rotary Club of Ikorodu Metropolitan which is an affiliate of the Rotary International, is to carry out one of our functions. We are under District 9110 which comprises Rotary Clubs within Lagos and Ogun States”, he said.
“We are at our adopted school to execute our project on basic education and literacy support. This is what we do all the time. We are here to donate some educational materials to the Kindergarten section of this school.
“Subsequently, we are going to come back for other senior classes.
“We are here to donate learning materials to these children. This is the foundation and there is need to get it right from this stage of their lives and if we don’t get it right from the foundation, whatever that we are going to build on it may not stand.
“On behalf of my club, Rotary Club of Ikorodu Metropolitan, we want to bring hope to the children at this level for them to have a good foundation in their learning”, he added.
President, Rotary Club of Ikorodu Metropolitan, Rotarian Ashamu Oluwaseyi Idris, while also reiterating the purpose of the visit as enumerated by the Project Chairman, also added that the club is interested in ensuring that there is a solid foundation for children’s educational pursuit.
“We are here today as part of our basic education and literacy month which is always in September. During the month, we always try to look for where we can execute basic education and learning projects”, Rotarian Ashamu said.
“For us in Ikorodu Metropolitan, we believe in catching them young. Actually, this Methodist Primary School, Oke Eletu, is our adopted school and we still have other projects for the school, but we are starting with the lowest arm of the school which is the Nursery.
“For today, we have brought in learning materials basically for the Nursery arm of the school”, he said.
Ashamu also revealed that the club plans to donate mathematical sets and exercise books to all the pupils in the school and also rehabilitate a block of classrooms that is needing attention within the school.
“Subsequently, we have another plan when we will be distributing exercise books and mathematical sets to every member of the school”, he said.
“We are also looking at renovating and branding a block of three classrooms which is in a dilapidated state. We will do that before July next year, because this is our adopted school.
“We also have other schools that we do go to for one programme or the other, but we prime this because it is easier to achieve when you are focus on a particular thing and after that, you spread your tentacles to other areas”, Ashamu said.
Mrs Alonge Adenike, Head Teacher, Methodist Primary School, Oke Eletu, in her acceptance speech, thanked the club for the gesture.
She described the Rotary Club of Ikorodu Metropolitan as a club that has love for children.
“On behalf of the teaching and non – teaching staff of the Methodist Primary School, Oke Eletu, we want to say a big thank you to the Almighty God, and appreciate the Rotary Club of Ikorodu Metropolitan. You are wonderful”, she said.
“You are lovers of children and for you having it in mind to reach out to these children. In fact, you are wonderful. We really appreciate you and I know what you have started, the Lord will give you strength to continue.
“Thank you all. We appreciate you”.
