Mkpat-Abasi revives school, donates chairs, tables in A'Ibom

A non-profit organization under the aegis of Mkpat-Abasi group, USA, has donated over fifty quality plastic chairs and tables to Early Child Care(ECC1/ creche) class of the QIC Primary school ikot Obio Ndoho, Mkpat Enin Local government area of Akwa Ibom state.The group which is made up of sons and daughters of ikot Abasi and Mkpat Enin Local government, residing in the  united states of America  pledged to  support educational, medical and cultural projects in their communities.

Speaking with our correspondent over the weekend at Mkpat Enin Local government area of Akwa Ibom state during the project delivery, The president of the Mkpat-Abasi group, USA, Dr Joseph Akpanikot disclosed that researchers have emphasized on the importance of early childhood education as an essential building block of a child’s future success, hence, the group decided to take up the project two days after he was told that children do fall from the dilapidated benches they had hitherto.

 Akpanikot who was represented by the Treasurer of the group Mr Steve Ikpim maintained that children of such age deserve an enabling environment to learn, so that their brain can also develop positively, adding that the group will always do everything possible to ensure that the creche section of the school is encouraged and not wiped out. According to him; "QIC Primary school, Ikot Obio Ndoho, Mkpat Enin Local government area is the only school we have in my village, so when I came home, I decided to pay a visit to know what my group overseas can contribute to make the school better, and from my findings, I saw the dilapidated classroom block, no perimeter fence, Electrical pole in the middle of the school field, and the Cables almost touching the grass, then the Headmistress also told me, she needed desks for pupils in the creche because  children fell from the government desk time without numbers".

"I took a lot of pictures and sent to the group and all members felt sorry for those little children, and so that is the reason we decided to fix their classroom before their resumption date.

I give Glory to God for the  enablement and I also thank the Headmistress of the school, Mrs Korona Akpan  and the village head Eteidung Friday Jeremiah Akpan for accepting our token of love to our community.

"I'm thanking them because if they never accepted, we would not have done it. Researchers have emphasized on the importance of early childhood education as an essential building block of a child’s future success so our Children at the Early Child Care class deserve an enabling environment to learn and interact  with their age mates, and this will help their brain to develop faster. So we will try all our best to encourage those children because education is the keep to success.

 

On his part, Eteidung (Chief) Friday Jeremiah Akpan expressed gladness  over the project delivery, he applauded Mkpat-Abasi group, USA for their kind gesture and project delivery, he blessed them, asking God to replenish the source of their income.

"I thank God for his grace and wisdom granted you to develop ur community school,thank you for bringing your group to furnish a class room for our Early Child Care, we the entire members of this community are grateful to you and your group.

"Thanks for taking a step after your father, who was a lover of education, he fought  and brought Enlightenment to ikot obio ndoho,he was also the first to bring in electricity to this our village, so I thank God for sufficiency given to your family as a whole, and the love for community services that  your family  has extended to our community.

"We pray that the  light of God should accompany you and all members of your family, in Jesus name Amen. There's no how our will touch one finger, that other fingers won't benefit from it, so the entire village decree that it is well with you and all members of the group, may God bless you all Mkpat-Abasi group USA, in Jesus name, Amen

"I speak with all authority that God gave to me as an elder in church and a village head that as you provide for this community sch that all difficulties in your ways are over, and the blessings of God that added no sorrows is your portion, as the name of your group "Mkpat-Abasi"  implies, God will order your feet's to greatness and we pray that before next year this time, we will celebrate greater achievement in Jesus name, amen, thank you so much, we are proud of you all ". He added

Reacting, Mrs Korona Friday Akpan, the Headmistress of QIC Primary school, Ikot Obio Ndoho lauded the group and the initiator of the idea Mr Steve Ikpim for reaching out to the school and rescuing the future of the children and generations unborn who will learn through the school, adding that God should bless the group abundantly.

Mr Akpan called on the Akwa Ibom State Government to send more qualified teachers to her school as they have only three teachers to teach two hundred and fifty pupils from ECC1through Primary six.

She also called on government and we'll wishers to help remove Electrical polls and cables from the field as it is very dangerous as pupil no more have a football field

Explaining that the polls were taken out of the roadside to the middle of the field with a promissory note from the government that immidiately after dualizing of the road is done by that it will be taken back to the roadside, and since after then nothing has been done about it.

"I have seen and recieved this great gift from Mkpat Abasi group, USA, to our Creche section(ECC1), furnishing a whole classroom with plastic chairs and tables , including two teachers table and desk, sir we are greatful, please extend our thank you to your members, our children will have a story to tell their parents at home, and they will no more fall from the government desk which was to big for them.

"I always feel sad seeing the children fell from the government desk, especially the last incident which the child suffered dislocation from the incident. So that was why I told the group about it, and not up to a week, this group furnished the children class and it now looks like what I have been seeing in television, may God almighty who knows the begining from the end, visit you all at the point of your needs, in Jesus name, Amen

"I want to use this medium to call on the government of Akwa Ibom state to send us teachers, the population of this school is two hundred and fifty pupils,  (250) with only 3 teachers including myself, the Head Mistress.

"We have written time without numbers to the ministry of Education Akwa Ibom state, but up till now, there's no response from them.

"We also call on our government, charitable organizations, lovers of education and able individual to help us renovate the three classroom block which has dilapidated because we only have 4 class room block right now for ECC 1 to primary 6, we have been managing, we are pleading, please come to our rescue. She added

PTA chairman of the school and Secretary of the village council Chief Udo Sunday Ukpong also commended the good gesture of Mkpat-Abasi group, for providing enabling learning environment for their children, asked that God should bless them abundantly.

I want to say a big thank you to Mr Steve Ikpim and his entourage, he has taken after his father, by giving aids to his community, thank you for remembering us. Thanks for wishing our children well, it's not that I, the Parent teachers association chairman (PTA) of the school didn't observe, I did, but we were all praying for a God sent to come to our aid because we don't have such money here.

We pray may God bless you abundantly and replenish your source, God bless Mkpat -Abasi group and give you the grace to do more good works in Jesus name

Family heads present were Chief Bassey George Amatie, Ekpok Etuk udo eyen uko. Chief Inyang Friday Ekanem, Ekpok Essien Udo Eka. Chief EKPO Samuel Akpan, Ekpok Ebija, and Chief Slassor Josiah Ekpo, Ekpok Nsidung Royal family while two family heads were absent.

Picture: : 4th from left(on suit) is the Treasurer of Mkpat-Abasi group, USA, Mr Steve Ikpim, next to him is the village head of ikot Obio Ndoho, Eteidung (chief) Friday Jeremiah Akpan with members of his cabinet.