The Government of Switzerland in collaboration with a non-governmental organization, Global Peace Development, have donated three classroom blocks and a solar-powered borehole to the Lafia Local Government Education Authority primary school in Ungwan Galadima 2 community of Nasarawa state.
This is in a bid to ensure that pupils of the school have access to quality education and potable water for their daily usage.
Speaking on Friday in Lafia during the handing-over ceremony of the classroom blocks and borehole to the community, Executive Director of GPD, Ebruke Esike, said that the project tagged ‘Support Education Infrastructure for Improved Child Learning and Development in Nasarawa State, was a way to tackle illiteracy in the state.
Esike, who was represented by the State Coordinator of GPD, Joy Tsaku, further explained that the gesture was a deliberate effort to provide an improved learning environment that would ensure quality education for primary school pupils in the state.
He said, “We witnessed a supposed learning facility lacking basic amenities as the majority of the pupils sit on bare floor while learning took place because of inadequate classrooms and limited desks. About 113 pupils were using one classroom which could lead to child underdevelopment.
“So, we constructed three blocks of classroom, a solar-powered borehole and five toilets with septic tank which is equipped with hygiene facility. We also provided 45 desks for the pupils and three chairs and tables for the teachers”.
The Executive Director expressed gratitude to the Embassy of Switzerland in Nigeria for partnering with his organization to address the plight of the community by contributing funds for the project.
“We sought the assistance of the Embassy of Switzerland in Nigeria to provide basic amenities required for a conducive learning and teaching environment lacking in the school. The project gulped the sum of N10,898,850, out of which N9,232,850 was donated by the Embassy so we are grateful for their support”, he added.
Representative of the Lafia Local Government Education Authority, Abdullahi Ibrahim, thanked Global Peace Development for the initiative to give back to society, saying that he would ensure that the facilities are maintained in order to encourage other organizations to bring more social amenities to the community.
“I am very happy with this development. GPD has done well for us by building these classrooms, boreholes and toilets. I want to also thank the Embassy of Switzerland for supporting them to achieve this feat. We would ensure that the facilities are maintained so that the community can continue to experience rapid growth”, he said.
Our Correspondent reports that the district head of Ungwan Galadima 2 community in Lafia and well-wishers from neighbouring communities graced the occasion.
Punch