Rotary Club donates textbooks to Stella Maris School, Abuja

In a bid to revive the reading culture in Nigeria, the Rotary Club of Ibadan, Onireke Neighbourhood, on Saturday, donated English textbooks and writing materials worth N150, 000 to Stella Maris Nursery and Primary School, Abuja.

The donation was made during a one-hour book reading session with pupils of the school by the club.

The Charter President of Rotary Club of Ibadan, Onireke Neighbourhood, Mr Adedotun Amori, emphasised that basic education and literacy remained one of the focal areas of Rotary Club.

According to him, a programme, “Together We Read’’, a partnership between Rotary International and Save the Children International, an NGO, is aimed at raising awareness and advocacy for early learning and literacy programmes in Nigeria.

“And we chose Stella Maris School to have the book reading session, ‘’ Amori said.

He noted that the children were desirous of reading, and so stressed need to promote the culture among children, to eradicate illiteracy in the country.

“We are very interested in their ability to read and write.

“We are also planning to reach out to other schools, and you will agree with me that schools are just resuming. So hopefully we are going to touch other schools and so many communities, to inspire them to take on the reading culture,’’ Amori said.

The Club President for 2021/2022, Ms Ifeoma Ihenacho, identified basic education and literacy as critical in nurturing the Nigerian child.

Ihenacho said: “We are here today to inspire and recreate children’s’ interest and awareness, to develop the culture of reading, as well as to gear their minds towards writing.

“Government, on its part, has been trying, and we also as individuals and organisations, have to do our own part in improving education in Nigeria,’’ she said.

Also speaking at the event, former President of the Club, Mr Adebayo Kolade, urged Nigerian students to always read and write, stressing that readers were positioned to become leaders.

The Head Teacher of Stella Maris Nursery and Primary School, Mr Omotoye Stephen, commended Rotary Club for the gesture and noted that it would inspire the children to appreciate reading and writing.

Stephen called on the private sector, civil society organisations and governments at all levels, to support Rotary Club in promoting the education sector.