Rep member Kama offers scholarship to three holiday lesson participants
From Chinedu Nwafor, Abakaliki
The Lawmaker representing Onicha, Ohaozara and Ivo Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon Nkemkanma Kama, has offered automatic scholarship to three Pupils of his Constituency to study up to the University level.
The Lawmaker made the pronouncement during a ceremony organized at his country home, Ishiagu, Ivo LGA, Ebonyi State, to mark the conclusion of the one month holiday lesson he sponsored for the Primary and Secondary school children across his Constituency.
The lesson which was code named “Kama Holiday Lesson”, took place in 12 Centres across the Constituency.
The Lawmaker who was impressed by the presentations made by the three Pupils, immediately offered scholarship to them, declaring that he would take charge of their education henceforth till they graduate from the university.
The event attracted hundreds of the beneficiaries of the holiday lesson as well as the teachers engaged by the Lawmaker to teach them.
A total of 2,500 Pupils and 250 teachers participated in the Holiday lesson.
Kama in his remarks said the holiday lesson would help to increase the literacy level in the constituency and shape the children for better tomorrow.
“This gesture is also, aimed at making other students who have not identified with the holiday tutorials to do so.
“We are waiting for the results of the scholarship examinations for students in the constituency to come out to fully commence the scholarship process.
Kama said it was his intention that every child from the constituency gets quality education as he will ensure such within the limits of his capacity.
“The holiday classes would be organised annually as we wish to include activities such as skills acquisition, empowerment among others in the future.
“The young ones will engage in barbing, carpentry, electrical works while in school, as we have about 2,500 students in attendance in this year’s holiday classes.
The lawmaker thanked the teachers who organised the classes for their commitment amd pledged to continue enhancing the wellbeing of students and teachers in the constituency.
He promised to continue to sponsor the lessons to keep students out of idleness and anti-social behaviors for a healthy society.
He urged the students not to take the lessons and education for granted, describing education as the bedrock of every success in life.
Kama said: “I want to thank all the teachers for this great sacrifice. It’s a holiday, you had your farms to attend to, you have your children to attend to, you had other commitments but you defied all odds to be with these children for hours for the past 30 days.
“In life, we make sacrifices in different forms, not necessarily money. Time is money. People do different things for different times just to make better tomorrow and that’s what all you here today have done.
“For the students, I know it was holiday time, it’s summer and most of you are supposed to be at home resting for the long journey in school but you decided to go for this lessons.
“Some of you are supposed to go to farms with your parents, some of you are supposed to go to markets with your parents but they allowed you people to come for these lessons. It means that your parents appreciate education.
“We will not stop, we will continue to do this, year by year, we will bring in vocational studies to make you self-reliant. You will learn other skills not only books, where you will do different things.
“We will try and do more of practical education, we will try and do more of technical education”
The Lawmaker also donated bags of fertilizers to the teachers to increase food sufficiency in the area.
This was even as he gave cash prizes to the students and teachers who excelled during the holiday lesson.
Chief of Lecture for the long holiday lessons, Wealth Dorcas, said it was very difficult to convince parents to release their children for the lessons and expressed joy that the parents were happy because of the impact of the lessons on the children.
She therefore, called in the Lawmaker to sustain the lesson to help groom children of the constituency for the future.
“I want to recommend that this lesson continues every long vacation. The impact has been immense and we believe that consistency is the key to sustain progress”, she stated.
Dr. Napoleon Elem, the Coordinator of the holiday lessons noted that the lesson had addressed the teachers’ deficit prevalent in most schools in the Constituency.
One of the beneficiaries of the scholarship, Chiebuka Okoro thanked the lawmaker, noting that it will spour her towards greater academic heights.
