Rotary completes, commissions 4 classrooms in Delta community

...promises more donations, as it tasks Council on library building

By Elo Edremoda

As part of its humanitarian services to society, Rotary International, Ovwian Club has completed a block of four classrooms in Dede Primary School, Orhuwhorun in Udu council area of Delta state.

The school until Rotary's intervention, had incomplete blocks without plastering, a sandy floor, leaking roofs, without ceilings, doors and windows.

The former look of the school

Speaking at the project's commissioning Thursday, April 18, the District 9141 Governor, Rtn Adeyemi Oladokun, while emphasizing the organization's commitment to help humanity, promised to facilitate the donation of sands to fill the waterlogged playground of the school.

Oladokun who tasked the local council to rehabilitate another structure in the school's premises to a library, again vowed that Rotary will equip it with books and other necessary materials that can aid learning.

Further encouraging the learners to study hard in order to realize their dreams, the governor said, "it is one thing to want to be a doctor, a nurse, a pilot and so on. But you have to work towards it. It is not tomorrow, it starts today. You must read your books. Your parents have done their parts by sending you to school, they will not help you to read. If you want to be great, the choice is yours."

Recalling the sorry state of the primary school which was a den for "miscreants," the president of the Rotary Club of Ovwian, Rtn Peter Oghoredafe, pointed out that with the rod protectors, Dede Primary School is free from all manner of intruders or interruptions that used to disrupt learning.

The completed four classrooms block with barricades

He said: "Today, it's a completed building secured for conducive learning. Teachers and pupils are now secured from sunshine, rain, wind, distraction and packing of human waste every morning before the start of classes. They are now proud of the school and more children are turning up to enroll."

He commended his team, including the project chairman, Rtn Moses Uparan for their support in actualizing the task which commenced last December, at a cost of two million naira.

In his remarks, the chairman of Udu council, represented by his vice, Mr. Justice Iyasere, described the project as "assisting government". 

Expressing shock at the sight of the heap of refuse behind one of the classroom blocks, he explained that orders had been given to the Department of Environment, by the council boss to clear the rubbish during an earlier visit, just as he assured that they (waste) will be evacuated by the next sanitation exercise.

On her part, the school's head mistress, Mrs Florence Okonye, assured that the facilities will be put to "meaningful use".

The commissioning by District 9141 governor, Rtn A. Oladokun

Appreciating the club, as well as, another donor, Mrs. Elizabeth Oghoredafe, wife of the president, who also completed and furnished with fifty desks, a block of two classrooms, Okonye appealed to the council to ensure the waste is cleared.

Group photo of Rotarians with teachers and pupils of Dede Primary School

Some learners, Andrew Destiny (Basic five), Nosa Gift (Basic six) and Oghenevwede Praise, who spokebto Isoko Mirror, promised to play their parts in maintaining the newly commissioned facilities.