Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
the Government of Indonesia recently built and donated one block of two classrooms to the Local Education Authority (LEA) Nomadic Primary School, Galadimawa (11); a library room to the LEA Nomadic Primary School, Lugbe and a play group class and toilet to LEA Nomadic Primary School, Aso, Lugbe, all in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The event also witnessed the donation of hats, scarves and noodles from the Indonesian Ladies Association in Nigeria (ILAN), led by the spouse of the Indonesia Ambassador to Nigeria, Nenny Harahap.
The ambassador, Dr Usra Hendra Harahap, said: “Last year in November 2019, while enjoying the event of ‘Taste of Indonesia’, we were able to raise some funds to provide these schools to them with successful assistance of our donors and sponsors.
“We all know that Nigeria and Indonesia are world communities which are only separated by administrative matter, but we have the same goal to educate our children. So, we better understand what education and schooling means for them. The nation’s hope relies on children and children’s hope relies on education.”
He said the embassy hoped to contribute to provide the best children education for the best future and strengthen the already existing close relations between Indonesia and Nigeria: “Through the mutual efforts and the support of Indonesia’s government and people, the embassy hopes to contribute to the growth and development of the school children in the future.”
He expressed gratitude to all who contributed to the success of the assistance, particularly the sponsors and donors: “Let us go on building the bonds of friendship and goodness through cooperation and mutual respect.”
The Head Teacher, LEA Nomadic Primary School, Galadimawa (11), Dahiru Idris, told the audience that he was honoured to express the school’s appreciation to members of the Indonesian Women Association of Nigeria (IWAN), for their efforts towards the donation to the local needy school:
“We are so grateful for their understanding of what the poor children need and hope and better understand what education and school mean to them. The nation’s hope relies on children and children’s hope relies on education.
“I hereby take this opportunity to express my heartfelt respect to the great association for the maternal love to the needy school’s children and also extend my sincere thanks to the ambassador because you have long made great contributions to the education sector at large.”
Deputy Director, FCT Universal Basic Education Board, Mrs Helen Uche Ibezim, who is the head of primary schools in the FCT, who represented the Chairman and Director of FCT UBEB, Dr Kabir Ibrahim Matazu and Dr Adamu Jatau Noma respectively, said the presence of UBEB at the ceremony was very significant:
“That shows that the board is really appreciative of the gesture by the Republic of Indonesia. That shows that you have the interest of our children at heart. These children that you are doing this for, in generations to come, they will never forget you. When you impact on the lives of children, you have impacted on a generation.”
The Chairman of Galadimawa (11) and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) respectively, Mr Mohammed Bello, told Daily Sun:
“The gesture is very fantastic. We are much appreciative. We are very much grateful. We thank him, we thank the Indonesian Embassy and we thank everybody who is here, who participated directly or indirectly in this occasion.”
At the LEA Nomadic Primary School, Lugbe, the Head Teacher, Abubakar Kolo, said: “They have been helping us. I appreciate them so much for what they have done for us.
“They built a new library for the school. In fact, they have helped us on several occasions in terms of advice, planting flowers in the school and they built one block of two toilet rooms for us.”
Head Teacher, LEA Nomadic Primary School, Aso, Lugbe, Mr Kenneth Adingi, said: “We are grateful to God. The Indonesian Embassy has provided us with toilet facility and this wonderful class to enable the children learn better. We appreciate it. We are grateful to God and we appreciate what they have done.”