BOVAS Group,an independent Oil marketing company on Thursday in Ibadan handed over renovated laboratories and equipment to aid practical in science subjects to St Louis Grammar School Mokola Ibadan
Some of the projects donated by the company include: drilling of an industrial borehole, renovated science laboratories, purchase of chemicals and apparatus for laboratories, installation of storex stand and tank, piping of gas and water into various laboratories.
Others are, provision of burners and cylinders, purchase of reagent benches for the chemistry laboratory, supply of cabinets and racks for test tubes to the three laboratories and production of stools for the chemistry laboratory.
The Chairman of the company Architect Bamidele O Samson while handing over the projects to the school management said the gesture is part of the company’s policy to enhance training of the younger ones and boost support government in providing conducive environment for students at all level.
The State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Adeniyi Olowofela while speaking at the event. Commended BOVAS, noted that t the gesture will in no small way create conducive environment for teaching and learning of science in the school.
Professor Olowofela maintained that the state government alone cannot provide all the necessities of quality education for all, partly because of the astronomical increase in the number of school age children and number of schools while in another vein, competing needs between education and other demanding social services which the government must attend to poses another important factor to be reckoned with in the scheme of things.
“Governor Ajimobi has consistently been calling for a participatory approach to education financing in which all stakeholders are enjoined to actively contribute their quota in the provision of free and qualitative education.’
“In this connection, the state government has stretch out her hands of partnership by inviting stakeholders to contribute their quota to its educational delivery. It is in line with this position that Bovas Group has demonstrated a good sense of partnership with the state government to move education forward by providing for this school, science equipments, in order to enhance teaching and learning of science.
“If we are praising Bovas today, is commitment to duty and the company has decided to give back to the society. The importance of science in the development of any nation cannot be overemphasized. It is my prayer that Bovas Group will continue to flourish”, the commissioner added.
Imploring the management, teachers as well as the students to make the best use of the facilities, he, therefore urged all and sundry to come on board and support government in her drive aimed at restoring, reforming and repositioning the education sector in the state.
The School Principal, Mrs R. O Ladipo in her welcome address, while praising Bovas hinted that with the construction of the borehole, the school now enjoyed portable water, stressing that the teaching of science practicals has now been made easy as science teachers do not teach in abstract any longer.
She said, “let me reiterate that our present Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi meant no harm when he initiated the idea of partnership which was misunderstood. What he clamoured for then is exactly what Bovas Group had done”.
