Excitement swept through Oluchi Primary School in Opkai Oluchi, Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State, as the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) Foundation unveiled plans to invest ₦60 million in the comprehensive renovation of three dilapidated classroom blocks that have remained neglected for years.

The announcement triggered widespread celebrations across the school community, with pupils, teachers and parents expressing relief and gratitude over what they described as a long-awaited intervention.

Parents danced in celebration, teachers shared soft drinks and refreshments, while jubilant pupils ran around the school premises chanting and celebrating the development, describing it as the first major intervention the school had witnessed in many years.

The Headmistress of the school, Mrs. Origho Gloria Okeoghene, could not hide her excitement, saying the announcement answered years of prayers for improved learning conditions.

“When they told us they were coming to renovate the school, I quickly went to take a very cold bottle of drink. I said, ‘God, You have answered my prayers. Glory be to Your name.’ I am truly happy and I pray that this work will be completed successfully,” she said.

Speaking during the unveiling, Warri Zonal Secretary of PENGASSAN, Comrade Wilson Asekutu, explained that the project is being executed through the PENGASSAN Foundation as part of its commitment to improving lives through education, community development and social intervention.

According to him, the foundation is funded to positively impact communities through educational assistance, capacity building and humanitarian projects, particularly in underserved areas.

He noted that improving learning environments was critical to shaping the future of children, stressing that pupils studying in unsafe and unconducive environments could easily lose hope and motivation.

“If we don’t encourage these children, they may grow up believing that nobody cares about them. A conducive learning environment inspires confidence and motivates them to aspire to greater heights.

“When these children see educated professionals working in the oil and gas industry returning to renovate their school, they will be inspired to work hard and become successful so they too can give back to society in the future,” Asekutu said.

He described the condition of the school before the intervention as an “eyesore,” saying the foundation could not ignore the plight of the pupils.

“When members of the PENGASSAN Foundation visited the school, what we saw was heartbreaking. The environment did not reflect a place where children should be learning. We could not simply turn our backs. Our mission is to restore hope, put smiles on people’s faces and assure communities that society has not abandoned them,” he added.

Asekutu disclosed that the renovation would include improved security features such as burglary-proof sliding windows, reinforced iron doors and other protective installations to safeguard the renovated facilities from vandalism.
Also speaking, National Secretary of the PENGASSAN Women Commission, Comrade Chidinma Anyanwu, said the foundation is financed entirely through contributions from PENGASSAN members and has continued to execute impactful projects across various communities.

She assured residents that the renovation would provide modern infrastructure capable of attracting more pupils and creating a better working environment for teachers.

“Our goal is to deliver quality infrastructure that will improve education and positively impact the lives of children and the entire community,” she said.

The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) representative, Mr. Godwin Adinkwu, described the intervention as timely, noting that the poor condition of the school had forced many parents to withdraw their children and enrol them in private schools.

“The condition of this school has been terrible. We could hardly allow our children to stay in these classrooms because they were unsafe. But with this renovation, many pupils who left for private schools will certainly return. We are sincerely grateful,” he said.

A community member, who requested anonymity, described the existing classroom blocks as outdated and unfit for learning.

“Those buildings are completely dilapidated. They are very old and cannot be compared with modern school facilities. This intervention is highly commendable,” he said.

While applauding the PENGASSAN Foundation for filling the gap, he urged governments at all levels to prioritise the rehabilitation of public schools across the country.

“The government should not wait until buildings deteriorate completely before acting. Children deserve quality learning environments that will enable them to study comfortably and realise their full potential,” he appealed.