FranklinCovey Nigeria, a leadership and management service company, has urged the federal and state governments to make substantial investments in children’s education.
The company said that such investment in education was crucial for nurturing patriotic citizens and fostering national development.
Mrs Ifueko Okauru, Group Chief Executive Officer, Compliance Professionals Plc (CPP), license owners for FranklinCovey Nigeria, made the call during a community outreach organised by the company on Thursday in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that FranklinCovey Nigeria, as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives, distributed noodle packets to 110 pupils in Adekunle Anglican Primary School in the Makoko community area of Lagos State.
Okauru said it was pertinent for governments at all levels to intensify efforts to secure the future of the younger generation who grow up to become patriotic.
“Patriotism comes from feeling that a country has served you and you want to serve that country to make it great. The best way to do that is through education.
“These are the leaders of tomorrow and if we don’t give them the right education, they will give you what they have.
“Education has to be universal and we must guarantee a certain level of education that is truly free even if it is the first three years of a child’s life that we can afford.
“We ensure that their food, books, shoes, uniforms, and fees are paid for, so that way it’s an equalizer where no one feels inferior to the other,” she said.
Speaking on the giving programme, she said: “Today is the giving day for FranklinCovey organisation worldwide.
“It is a Global Day of Service for us and FranklinCovey Nigeria decided where we wanted to make the most impact was a public school where giving this token would be of value and deeply appreciated.”
Okauru said that the heartfelt outreach went beyond just providing essential supplies to school children, noting, “it ignited a spirit of giving and showcased the power of corporate social responsibility”.
She added that the gesture had the potential to shape the future of young students and their community.
“It shows that everyone should have a spirit of giving no matter how small it may seem. The more you give and impact people’s lives, the more you get.
“Also, this programme has also given the children role models they can look up to, so that they can focus on their educational journey to become successful and impact other people’s lives.
“Beyond giving them food, as I interacted, I could see that shoes were also an issue for them because some were wearing slippers or worn-out sandals. So, we would plan to give more items that are of need to them.
“The essence of FranklinCovey is about impacting individuals’ businesses and countries through the solutions that we provide. It is about people, principles impact, and growth,” she said.
Mrs Olajumoke Akinyemi, Human Resources and Finance Team, FranklinCovey Nigeria, urged corporate bodies and organisations to work together and assist the government in keeping children in school and out of the streets.
“Makoko is an underserved community and we decided to come to this public school to extend our hands of love to them in the little way we can.
“Coming into the community, I saw the poverty and it brought tears to my eyes. So, as an individual, I will do more in my capacity to help more children in disadvantaged communities,” she said.
Also, Mrs Nkem Dilim, Senior Delivery Consultant, Anglophone West Africa, said community outreach was tied to the company’s mission to enable greatness in people starting from the foundation – children.
She said the outcome of the outreach created an avenue to realise more areas of need for the children, which she said, they planned to follow up with the school.
Ms Oluchi Samuel, Implementation Specialist at the company, hinted that next year’s giving outreach would look at giving educational items such as socks, uniforms, books, shoes, and sandals.
“We are going to improve our corporate social responsibility projects. We are open to partnerships, initiatives, and projects that are aimed at community impact,” she said.
Responding, Mrs Folake Akinnagbe, Head Teacher of the school, thanked the organisation for the token, saying that it would provide immediate relief for the pupils.
She urged parents to put more effort into taking care of their children and securing their future.
