Ben Dunno, Warri
Military authorities, under Sector 1 Command of Operation DELTA SAFE have brought new lease of life to pupils and teachers of Army Day Children School in 3 Battalion Barrack, Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, with the completion of befitting standard structures and modern learning facilities.
The Army Day Children School Effurun, had remained in a deplorable state for many years, following its abandonment by successive governments, leaving the pupils to study under harsh conditions including learning and writing on bare floors while the teachers were subjected to work in a lamentable environment.
Speaking on the project the
Sector 1 Commander, Col. Alhassan Grema, noted that the Command was compelled to take the initiative to embark on the school upgrade project in conjunction with other stakeholders after it realised the terrible state in which both the pupils and teachers had to learn and work on daily basis.
According to him, “I attended an Army Children School. So, when I came here in 2016, I noticed a lot of pupils were passing by my office but whenever I look around, I will not be able to see which school they are going to?
“Until I finally took a walk just behind my office and when I saw the school, it was an eyesore. Pupils were sitting on the ground and whenever it rains, there would not be classes.
“The school was just in very, very bad state. I remembered the Army Children School I went to for my primary education and I said No. We have to do something about the school and we started.
“To the glory of God with the help, massive assistance from the Delta State Government and our very good friends here, in Warri, and support from the Army Headquarters as well as Operation DELTA SAFE, we were able to do the small work that you’ve seen there now which had gone a long way in putting smiles on the faces on pupils and teachers in the school”, Col. Grema stated.
He also pointed out that, “Education is the only legacy parents can leave for their children and being privileged by God to be in this position I am right now, it became very necessary for me to do this.
“And I also want to recommend that everyone does whatever little they can do to improve the level of education in the country.
“Like we have always said, if the foundation of a building is not firm, that building is shaky and it will not stand the test of time.
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“Primary education should be given the importance it required and the pride of place it needs in our educational system”, the Commander noted.
In her comment, Head Teacher of the school, Comrade (Mrs.) Diana Ekpan, commended the Sector 1 Commander, Col Grema, for his commitment in making the dreams of the pupils and teachers to having a conducive learning environment in the school a reality.
In her words, “The secret to the success story you are witnessing today about the school is the Sector Commander, Col. Grema who came to our rescue when it mattered most.
“In short, he is the saviour that God sent to redeem this School.
“He came in and he felt that something should be done here because it’s becoming a dustbin and children are running away.
So, he deemed it fit to start renovation work. He did all these beautiful things you are seeing even up to this office”.
On security she noted that, “Since the arrival of the Sector Commander when we laid the complaint on the issue of insecurity within the school environment to him, he immediately posted standby security to guard the school day and night.
“If you go to the front now very close to the gate there, the post is there. Nobody trespass into the place again.
“Before him, others Commanders they have been here but he’s exceptional because has a listening ear.
“He told us that he attended Army Children School and he assured that in any way he could, he would endeavour to put a smiling face on the pupils and teachers in the school and this he has being able to achieve”
In his words, the Assistant Head Master, Comrade John Ovrija, expressed gratitude to the Sector 1 Commander for his remarkable contribution to uplifting the standards of the school in a very short time of being in charge.
“It is marvellous and I am impressed because I have been here for sometime now. What we saw here in the past years is indescribable.
“But with the help of God, the Sector Commander was able to bring us out of the shame and thank God for that.
“I will advice the other Commanders in other areas to emulate what this Sector Commander, Col. Grema has done here and even apart from that, other Nigerians that are in position, they should be able to use their position to affect human lives, especially when we are talking of children ,the future leaders, they should be able to help them”.
Mrs. Lucky Etaghene, a teacher in the school, was full of praises to Col. Grema and his team at the Sector 1 Command of ‘Delta Safe’, even as she acknowledged the fact that the gesture has motivated the pupils to want to learn more and the teachers to work harder in impacting more knowledge on the students
Her words; “I’m short of words to express how grateful i am today to witness the transformation that had taken place at Army Day Children School. I’ll want to sincerely thank the Sector 1 Commander for what he has done for us”.
“One of the aspect I want to point out is security. Compare to before, security is tighter now within the school environment.
“You can’t believe that I left my charger in the school last two weeks and when I got to the school in the morning, I saw it where I left it. That’s what I call positive change”.
“The Commander has really done well for us and the children as you can see, my hands are no longer stained because am now using a marker compare to before that we were using chalks and dusters on blackboards”.
“He didn’t just stop there, he addition, he gave us water, he gave us life, he gave us light because changes means life to me and I pray the good Lord to bless him ernestly and reward his kind heart”, she stated.
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A Primary 6B Pupil of the school, Master Obinna Miracle, could not hide his joy and appreciation for the conducive learning environment that has been created for him and his classmates in the school.
According to him, “Am very happy for the school. They have renovated it. Am very happy about the coming of the Sector Commander to this school. His coming has given us good things and we are happy for everything”.
“Before now we have not been using white board. We have been using chalk board and we have been sitting on bare floor. I thank he Sector Commander and the government for this good thing they have done”.
Another Primary 6C pupils, Anthonia Aghogho, thanked both the Sector Commander and government for the relief and happiness they have brought to the school environment with the upgrade
“Am very glad that now, the school is now okay. They have paint it. They have given us new chair, new desks, new tables, books. Am very grateful for what the Sector Commander have done for us. So, am very glad for it.
A parent, Mr. Maduka Ifejika, disclosed how the upgrade has helped in improving the intellectual abilities of his children, as the conducive learning environment created, in addition to the improved learning facilities made available had contributed in enhancing the assimilation and understanding of the pupils.
“Since the pupils started studying under the present conducive learning environment created through the efforts of the Sector 1 Commander, I could see a whole lot of improvement in my children attending the school. This is simply because they are now very happy with the comfortable surrounding they are being taught and this has psychologically improved their level of understanding”.
Another parent, Mrs. Josephine Maduemere, a nurse, also expressed how the new school environment had assisted in positively developing his children both physically and mentally and commended the initiative of the Sector 1 Commander, Col. Grema, in ensuring the upgrade of its standards.
“I wish to sincerely thank the Commander for the noble gesture to upgrade the school. We have never had it so good.
“I can attest to the fact that the conductive learning environment created as a result of this upgrade has helped tremendously in improving the educational standards of my children and that of other pupils in the school.
