Four Rotary clubs in Ibadan, Oyo State, have donated school materials to more than 100 pupils of St Patrick Primary School, Mokola, as part of activities marking Basic Education and Literacy Month.
The initiative involved the Rotary Club of Ibadan Ologuneru, Rotary Club of Ibadan Gold, Rotary Club of Ibadan Prestige and Rotary Club of Ibadan Ring Road.
The pupils received school bags, exercise books, ducks and water bottles during the presentation.
Speaking on the initiative, President of Rotary Club of Ibadan Prestige, Rotarian Bankole Oyewole, said the clubs collaborated to support basic education and provide pupils with materials needed for their daily learning.
“September is designated by Rotary International as Basic Education and Literacy Month. That is why we decided to come together as clubs to carry out this project and support the children,” Oyewole said.
He said the clubs hoped to sustain the intervention and return to the school to identify other areas where they could contribute.
President of Rotary Club of Ibadan Gold, Rotarian Tracey Oloyede, said the donation was intended to support pupils and ease some of the challenges associated with accessing basic learning materials.
She said the clubs believed community support for education could encourage pupils to remain focused on their studies.
Oloyede added that the participating clubs would continue to explore joint projects targeting schools and young people in Ibadan.
President of Rotary Club of Ibadan Ologuneru, Rotarian Adewale Akinade, described education as an important avenue for improving children’s prospects, saying the materials could make a difference in pupils’ everyday school experience.
His counterpart at Rotary Club of Ibadan Ring Road, Rotarian Mojisola Omoyele, said the initiative was designed to complement the efforts of parents and teachers by providing pupils with basic materials required for learning.
The school management appreciated the clubs for responding to the needs of the pupils and called for additional support from individuals, organisations and other stakeholders to improve the learning environment.
The donation forms part of education-focused community interventions being undertaken by Rotary clubs in Ibadan.
