A New Laboratory for Ugbuwangue Secondary School
Hallmarks of Labour Foundation recently inaugurated a science laboratory at Ugbuwangue Secondary School in Warri, Delta State. Peter Uzoho who covered the inauguration, reports
We are also very proud to inform you that this ultra-modern integrated Ugbuwangue Secondary School science laboratory is being donated in honour of Professor Mrs. Grace Awani Alele-Williams…As we celebrate her today with this science laboratory, it is our hope and expectation that many of you will read about her, admire her so much as we at the foundation do and work hard to emulate her even exceed her achievements
School laboratory is one of the essential facilities that has to be present in a school to ensure quality teaching and learning as well as excellent output.
A well-equipped and functional science laboratory helps the teacher to go beyond theories; helping the students to be carried along, and also making them to verify what has been taught. A good science laboratory is the foundation for future scientists and engineers. It is through their early exposure to laboratory practicals that students are inspired. It is through their experience in laboratory functions that teachers discover the career part of a child.
It is against this backdrop that Hallmarks of Labour Foundation, a non-governmental, non-profit and philanthropic organization, found it necessary to identify with public schools in Nigeria where school laboratory is lacking in order to assist them to have one since it is passionate about the education of children, especially indigent ones.
Backing its words with action, the Foundation in November 2014, built and donated a well-equipped ultra-modern science laboratory to Egbokodo Secondary School in Warri, Delta State.
Just recently, on September 29, 2016, Hallmarks of Labour Foundation donated another ultra-modern science laboratory equipped with modern facilities to Ugbuwangue Secondary School, Warri, Delta State, which was inaugurated by His Royal Majesty, Ogiame Ikenwoli 1, the Olu of Warri, and named in honour of Professor Mrs.
Grace Alele-Williams, for her commitment to the Foundation.
Responding to the kind gesture from the Foundation, Principal, Ugbuwangue Secondary School, Mr. Samuel Urowayinor while reminiscing on what the school had lost in the past for not having a science laboratory, noted that with the facilities available to them now, they can begin to get back all they had lost.
“Today, is one of the greatest days in the history of this school since its inception in 2007. This day marks the beginning of the process of registering the school as a centre for examination bodies like WAEC and NECO. It may interest you to know that our SS III students have been enrolled over the years for their WAEC and NECO exams through Yonwuren College Centres because this school is not a centre for those exams on account of non-availability of a science laboratory, amongst other factors.”
Appreciating the Hallmarks of Labour Foundation, he said “The science laboratory whose inauguration we are here to witness today, was made possible by the Executive Secretary of Hallmarks of Labour Foundation, Mrs. Patricia Otuedon-Arawore. This same body, Hallmarks of Labour, has graciously given scholarships to some of our students here. I therefore use this opportunity to express my utmost gratitude to her and her team in Hallmarks of Labour for these acts of philanthropy. I pray that the Almighty God will reward you exceedingly.
“I would like to appeal to the Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC), the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and other public, private and philanthropic organisations to help us with additional classrooms as our present classrooms are already over-stretched by the teeming student’s population. I also appeal for the provision of computer systems, physics, biology and agricultural science apparatuses to assist the students in their practicals.”
Delta State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Hon. Chiedu Ebie represented by Dr. Tony Edozien started by thanking the management of Hallmarks of Labour Foundation for inaugurating and handing over an ultra-modern integrated science laboratory to Ugbuwangue Secondary School, Warri.
“This singular magnanimous gesture is highly appreciated by the administration of his Excellency, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.
Early this year, Delta State Government convened an Education Summit with the intention of scaling up education in the state. The summit which was well attended reviewed in details the programmes, progress, prospects and challenges of our schools. The recommendation contained in the communiqué
pointed out the need to explore and promote private sector support to the development and improvement of our schools. It’s in this regard that Senator Ifeanyi Okowa recently gave approval for the Support and School Programme (SASP). We want to use this opportunity to let this community and all Deltans know that there’s a platform upon which everyone can key in to add value to the school nearest to you.”
He said the objective of the programme was to provide a platform for well-meaning individuals, Deltans and friends of Delta State, corporate and community organisations and social groups to intervene and partner with the government in the development of the schools.
“We hope to galvanise the private sector to actively support schools in various areas with the ultimate goals to helping to breach the funding gap that currently exists in the education sector.”
The commissioner noted that the dedication and naming of the ultra-modern science laboratory to a renowned and accomplished Deltan was not a mistake, adding “to all of us, she’s an ultimate role model worthy of emulation.”
Speaking at the event, Executive Secretary and Founder, Hallmarks of Labour Foundation, Otuedon-Arawore stated that the objectives of the Foundation when it was set up two decades ago include, to identify Nigerians who have achieved success through hardwork, honesty and integrity in their fields of endeavour to project them to Nigerians as role models; to promote positive attitudes among the youths in particular- encouraging them to reject fraud, greed and impropriety as means to success, amongst others.
“With the central theme ‘positioning tomorrow’s leaders to achieve their maximum potentials’, the foundation has donated a range of educational welfare facilities to deserving schools and students in Nigeria,” she noted.
“The HLF Secondary School Scholarship Scheme, which took off here in Warri in 2008 under the theme ‘Iwere Education Rejuvenation’ has yielded tremendous fruits. To date, over 140 students have obtained the West African School Leaving Certificates under the foundation sponsorship, even as 60 of its scholars are currently enrolled in a number of post-primary schools in Delta and Lagos states. We urge parents and guardians to encourage their wards to pick up the forms and work hard to pass the qualifying examination as it is strictly on merit.
“As always, we give glory to God Almighty. We are also very proud to inform you that this ultra- modern integrated Ugbuwangue Secondary School science laboratory is being donated in honour of Professor Mrs. Grace Awani Alele-Williams (OFR), the first female PhD holder in Nigeria, first female professor of mathematics and first female Vice chancellor in the Sub- Sahara Africa. She is a woman we have tremendous love and respect for; a woman who at one time, was like any one of the children present here today, born and educated amongst us here in Warri, speaking the same language and brought up with the same kind of food as we eat. What has distinguished her from many of her peers is that she took her studies seriously and obeyed instructions of her parents. As we celebrate her today with this science laboratory, it is our hope and expectation that many of you will read about her, admire her so much as we at the foundation do and work hard to emulate her even exceed her achievements.
“We seize the opportunity to thank our mother, Professor Mrs. Grace Awani Alele-Williams, for her commitment to the Hallmarks of Labour Foundation, for which she has been a strong pillar of support and a trustee for some 20 years.
“We are here today to inaugurate and hand over another science laboratory in Warri. In November 2014, we donated a similar facility
to Egbokodo Secondary School, Warri, which is acknowledged as the best science laboratory in any government-owned school in Nigeria. We are profoundly grateful to His Royal Majesty, Ogiame Ikenwoli 1, the Olu of Warri for his encouragement. We thank the Delta State Government for finding time to be here, and the leaders and people of Ugbuwangue for giving us the opportunity to be of service and it is our prayer that the students here will find inspiration from this facility to motivate them to become great scientists.
“In creating this laboratory we are now beginning to build up scientists. We want to look for science students who we can now send to school with the intention of giving them the opportunity to go into sciences and then we will take them up to university level,” she said.
Students of Ugbuwangue Secondary School who were overwhelmed with joy bared their minds. The Head Girl, Miss Deborah Akpowomano said, “I am so happy today because when we were in SSI, we were not able to make discoveries or experiments but now that there’s laboratory I believe we’ll be able to make experiments. So I want to thank Hallmarks of Labour Foundation for making this possible for us. I am so delighted.”
On his part, the Senior Prefect, Ugbuwangue Secondary School, Master Bright Igiagbe, said “having a laboratory in my school is the most exciting thing in my life. I always dreamt of having a laboratory in my school for us to do our practical. Before now learning was not that interesting in my school because we only hear of names of chemicals but don’t see them- we can’t identify them. For example, we have been told about acid, that it has a sour taste and that it turns blue litmus paper red, but we haven’t seen it with our eyes. I haven’t even seen a litmus paper with my naked eyes before, but now, I believe that with this science laboratory we would be able to identify them and learn more. We thank Mrs. Arawore for remembering us and we pray God to continue blessing her and the Foundation.”
The celebrant of the day, Professor Mrs. Grace Alele-Williams whose name the science laboratory was donated said, “I am very happy. Patricia has been a sister and a friend to me. She’s very interested in children’s education and she has been showing that in action. So I thank God for making this a reality.”
Having a laboratory in my school is the most exciting thing in my life. I always dreamt of having a laboratory in my school for us to do our practical. Before now learning was not that interesting in my school because we only hear of names of chemicals but don’t see them