TheCable

Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, has inaugurated the back-to-school jump start project in Surulere, Lagos state.

Speaking during the ceremony, on Friday, the speaker, who was represented by Ademorin Kuye, member of the house of representatives for Somolu federal constituency, said the project was initiated to digitise the teaching and learning process, and inculcate a culture of basic hygiene in schools across the country.

Gbajabiamila noted that in the first phase of the project, 46 junior and senior secondary schools in his constituency will receive e-learning equipment such as laptops, android tablets, phones, stationery and sanitation materials.

“The reason for tagging the first leg of the Jump-Start project as “No School Left Behind in Surulere” is to address the widening of the educational disadvantage heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the health implications of the pandemic are all too obvious, its consequences for education are subtle but nonetheless devastating,” the speaker said.

“Thus, the Jump-Start Project is designed to mitigate the disadvantage caused by the lack of digital infrastructure in public schools, as well as ensure that there are no breaks in teaching and learning in the event of future pandemics. Education is the best possible investment in people. It is the silver bullet that lifts people out of poverty, encourages a broader perspective that expands their world view and allows them to engage critically with the questions that determine the course of civilisation, innovation, and human progress.

“In this 21st century, the problems of poverty and war, of healthcare and climate change can only be solved by empowering the greatest number of people to independently seek knowledge and the confidence to challenge settled questions and pursue new approaches to solving old problems.

“As government, we are committed to building back a better and stronger educational system which will be resistant to the eventualities of the new normal and personally, I am committed to improve the lives and livelihoods of my constituents through education.
A key to achieving this is the normalisation of digital learning and personal sanitation in public schools.

“I would like to take the opportunity to thank the National Lottery Trust Fund for buying into the vision of my office by supporting the Jump-Start Project. As you are aware, the project should span the six geopolitical zones, and it is our fervent wish that the National Lottery Trust Fund will support the project to achieve this objective and achieve our goals. I also salute the efforts of the planning committee.”

Speaking on the development, Bello Maigari, executive secretary of the National Lottery Trust Fund, said the initiative will promote educational standard in tandem with global best practices.

“In fulfillment of its mandate as an intervention agency established to promote the well-being of the people of our beloved nation through its various good cause projects, the government deem it necessary to provide unconditional grant to “She Foundation” through lottery good cause to facilitate this project which we are all here gathered to launch,” Maigari said.

“Interestingly, later today the Trust Fund will also be commissioning vital medical equipment donated to Gbaja Randle Hospital Mother & Child Care General Hospital to consolidate on the vital medical equipment earlier donated to Onikan Healthcare Center few months ago.”