U.K based Student Donates Desks to Akwa Ibom School

Pupils and teachers of Government Primary School, Aka 1, Uyo, have heaved a sigh of relief as a UK-based Akwa Ibom scholar and philanthropist, Comrade Innocent Udoidiong donated 20 dual desks to the school with a pledge to do more in the coming days to improve the condition of learning in schools in the state.

Innocent was motivated to carry out the gesture after a picture of pupils of the school sitting on the floor to learn went viral on social media.

Receiving the desks, the Head-teacher of the school, Mrs. Emem Akpan applauded Mr. Udoidiong for his effort and passion to come to the aid of the pupils, noting that it was the first time a private individual donated such items to the school.

According to her, it was a worrisome situation since she was posted to the school on 5th March 2021. She said all the blocks were vandalized by hoodlums while children in almost all the classes sat on the floor.

“It was two weeks ago that I saw a young man coming to this school to make enquiry about the fate of this school, that they saw on social media how the pupils were sitting on the bare floor. He is not staying here with us. All the way from overseas, he sent money for the desks to be constructed for us.

“This is something that we did not expect. As he has compassion for these innocent children, God will reward him because even those that are around here that are millionaires cannot do what he has done. I’m also grateful to the person that received the money for ensuring it was used for the intended purpose.”, the school’s Head-teacher remarked during the official presentation of the dual desks to the school.

Also speaking, The Education Secretary, Uyo Local Education Authority, Mr. Imo Umoh who said the government has not neglected the school, said the poor state of facilities in the school was a result of incessant attacks by vandals.

While promising to use the furniture judiciously, he also pledged to liaise with the youths of the host community to ensure the entire infrastructure in the school was adequately protected against vandalism.

The LEC boss said the state government through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) had earlier donated desks to the school but said they were not enough for all the classes.