CSR: Education expert seeks support, partnership for out-of-school children
By Trek Africa Newspaper
An education expert, Dr Victor Basola, is seeking government and stakeholder partnerships to expand the impact of a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative focused on providing free education to out-of-school children in the society.
Basola, also founder, Kingston Nursery and Primary School, Ogun State, made the call at a news conference on Wednesday in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Basola currently provides free nursery and primary education to about 60 pupils in Akute-Ajuwon axis of Ogun State.
According to him, the free primary education initiative is aimed at providing quality education to children of interest in underserved communities; thereby contributing to socioeconomic development.
He said the vision was borne out of his experience as a child, saying children, no matter where they live or their circumstances, had the right to quality education.
He noted that while education was the key to personal growth and societal progress, its cost could often be a significant barrier to assessing knowledge and opportunities.
Basola said in Nigeria, about 10.5 million children aged 5-14 years and about 58.4 million children of the world’s 787 million children of primary school age do not go to school due to poverty.
“Hence, a need for a place like Kingston Nursery and Primary school, an absolutely free school here in Akute, Ogun State.
“Free education was introduced to Nigeria by Obafemi Awolowo in Western Nigeria in the year 1955 and it provides opportunities for all individuals regardless of their socio-economic class.
“Although, the vision for starting the school was not to make everything free, we planned to make it subsidised and probably to give out a number of scholarships but two weeks to the inception we knew God wanted the school to be a free school.
“However, the cost of running such an initiative is about six million naira per term and N18 million monthly, hence the need for support.
“I, Dr Victor Basola ensures that our Degree holding teachers are paid a salary of N50,000 which is far above what is obtainable within and around the community.
“This is because we believe that if teachers are well paid, the teaching profession will attract better qualified candidates which will reflect in the quality of students,” he said.
Basola added that the free school initiative was also uniform, text books, and other amenities free including one free meal per day and medical services.
He, however, noted that free education was not free because some people helped to bear the burden in order to make it free for
others.
The school founder lauded every one who have partnered to pay for a staff, for a child, or have supported the vision in one way or the other
He, however, stated that more needed to be done to engender more reach and address many challenges faced with running the school.
This, he stated, was important to expand the provision of educational services and keep the vision growing to keep as many children in school.
“There would be about 90 per cent increase in number of children in school if there is free education for students. No child is dull if the right educational system is invested in that child.
“Hence the need for organisations to begin to focus on sponsoring education as the bedrock of the future.
“Our nature as Nigerians must begin to tilt towards valuing education and the Country’s reward system must place more value on education,” he said.
Basola charged government, multinationals, religious bodies, elites and corporate organisations to support the initiative and keep the flag flying.
He said that opportunities for partnership existed in finance, sponsorship, meals, stationeries, rent among other needs.
Responding, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Ogun State.
In addition to other basic subjects within the approved government curriculum, the students of Kingston Nursery and Primary School Akute are also taught the French Language, Chinese Language, Computer, coupled with several personal development and skill acquisition courses in order to wake up their entrepreneurial abilities and broaden their minds.
