Founder of a low-cost school, Isirina Schools, Ajegunle, Grace Amuzie, has said education is still not regarded as a priority in Ajegunle, Lagos.
Amuzie, whose school recently acquired a dilapidated one-storey building with 12 classrooms, said her school charged N8,000 per term, yet many parents were unable to afford it.
In order to aid parents, Amuzie said she resorted to collecting plastic bottles from parents in exchange for fees.
“In Ajegunle, education is often not prioritised. Many parents do not believe in the value of education and are unwilling to spend money to support their children’s schooling. It is a unique and challenging community. Currently, we are fortunate to have the support of the community and some NGOs.
“We charge N8,000 per term, but many parents pay with plastic bottles instead of cash. The majority cannot afford to pay in cash, so we collect the bottles and sell them to companies, which then pay us in cash. It takes 50 plastic bottles to make one kilogramme, and parents need to bring 40 kilogrammes to cover the N8,000 fee,” she said.
During a tour of the one-storey building with 12 classrooms, Amuzie stated that the SevenFiteen Foundation had donated N15m for the purchase of the building.
“The school is celebrating a significant milestone following a generous donation of N15m from the SevenFiteen Foundation. Representatives from the foundation, along with other friends of the school, visited and toured the low-cost school we recently purchased in Ajegunle, a community known for its dense population.
The foundation’s timely intervention has been a tremendous support for us.”
During the event, the school presented Chairman, Punch Nigeria Limited, Mrs Angela Emuwa, with an award in recognition of her unwavering support asa key partner.
Amuzie said, “Over time, she has contributed financially and connected us with individuals and organisations willing to help further our cause.”
While speaking on the newly acquired building, she revealed that the school would require an additional N5m to renovate the school.
“The newly acquired school consists of a two-story building on a half plot of land. It features six classrooms on the upper floor, six classrooms on the ground floor, and four toilets in total. Currently, we have 273 children enrolled.
“However, we still require an additional N5m to complete the renovation of the building.
“Since the school’s inception in 2016, we have faced numerous challenges, particularly during the startup phase, as we relied heavily on external support. Despite these hurdles, we managed to operate from a temporary site until last year when SevenFiteen Foundation visited us and began providing vital assistance. During their recent visit, we were able to showcase how their donations have been effectively utilised,” she said.
Credit: THE PUNCH
