Lawmaker promotes science study in Ogbaru

The member representing Ogbaru federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Chukwuka Onyema has lifted science education in Ogbaru local council of Anambra state with the donation of science equipment worth millions of naira to ten secondary schools in the area.

The benefiting schools include, St Charles Lawanga group of schools, Okpoko, St Paul’s Secondary School, Ogwuikpele, St Gregory Secondary School, Iyiowa, Magnus Comprehensive Secondary School, Okpoko and ElShalom Convent, Okpoko.

Others are Community Secondary School, Odekpe, Government Technical College, Ossamala, Ogbaru High School, Ogbaru, Unity Secondary School, Okpoko and Community Secondary School, Atani.

Onyema stated during the presentation of the items to representatives of the schools that the gesture was borne out of a research he conducted that showed that students from the area lagged behind in practical sciences.

He said that though the state government had tried to equip schools in the state, he discovered that majority of the students end up acquiring theoretical aspect of sciences, adding that his dream was for students from the area to lead in sciences in the state.

“We did a little survey, we found out that we are lagging in sciences because we are not focusing on practical, but theory.

So the students don’t normally do well when they go for practical exams. It is this gap that we are trying to close by ensuring that our students do well in sciences.

We are trying to reach all the secondary schools in Ogbaru local government with provision of science equipment,” he said.

The lawmaker, who is the Deputy Minority leader, observed that the attention being paid to addressing  insurgency in the north and the unrests in the Niger Delta region was taking a  heavy toll on education, adding that, “what government should have used to fund education and other sectors effectively are being use to addressing these issues”.

“One of our major priorities is in education, but instead we are going in different directions. We have insurgency in the north but as far as am I am concerned we are voting too much money in that sector and neglecting the health and education sectors.

We are focusing too much on amnesty in Niger Delta and we are spending much money on those areas and that is why we don’t have much money to spend in education”, he said.

He stated that to cushion the effect, there was need for well-to-do Nigerians to invest in education, stressing that it holds the future of the country.

Onyema disclosed that, he planned to ensure that seven other secondary schools that were not covered during the presentation, receive science equipment in the shortest possible time.

He charged benefiting schools to ensure good use of the facilities, adding that he would liaise with other relevant stakeholders to address other challenges the schools faced in the area.

The Anambra State Chairman of Universal Basic Education Board, Chief Nzemeka Olisa, said the gesture by the lawmaker was an added impetus in the effort of the state government in education delivery.

“Like I observed, the funding of education cannot be done by the government alone, so that’s where we welcome that. Today is science equipment and like I said that none of our schools can say that what they have is not enough, so what they have is being augmented.

Anambra was top in WAEC. What we have here will help us maintain the lead in education,” he said.

A representative of the Catholic Diocese of Onitsha, Rev Fr Chima Ogueri, described the gesture as “ a laudable demonstration of love for education”, stressing that ‘it will help reposition our education for greatness”.