The lawmaker representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Tokunbo Abiru, has donated 150,000 face masks to primary schools in the zone.
The lawmaker, while handing over items to the leadership of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) in Maryland, said it had become necessary for Nigerians to adhere strictly to the COVID-19 safety measures to prevent the pandemic from spreading.
Abiru also urged the elite and those with the financial means to give back to society during this period of COVID-19 pandemic that ravaged the world for the better part of 2020 and is still raging.
He lamented that the pandemic was creating unimaginable crises for the entire mankind. He noted that the complacency in the use of face masks and other safety protocols among Nigerians was dangerous, saying, “Infections rates are still terribly high. It is suicidal to let down our guard.”
On why he decided to provide face masks to pupils and their teachers, Abiru said it was the duty of leaders to ensure that kids were protected against COVID-19.
According to him, “education is paramount on our agenda, we deemed it expedient to support our pupils and teachers in public primary schools with protective materials as a non-pharmaceutical measure to curtail the rate of infections in the schools.
“We cannot afford to fail the younger generations, who have chosen to learn. It is our duty as leaders to protect these minors who are the most vulnerable segment of society in the context of the war against COVID-19 pandemic.”
The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker also promised to provide prescribed eyeglasses for teachers, who have issues with their sight. To achieve this, there might be a need to ensure affected teachers undergo eye tests, which the lawmaker has promised to do.
“If we wish the best for our pupils, it must also be our responsibility to give the best to their teachers. We shall be intervening by providing eye-glasses to teachers in the zone, who need prescription eyeglasses to improve their vision after taking them through a formal eye examination,” he said.
He commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for Integrating Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the learning process in Lagos public schools.
“At this point, I must acknowledge the bold leadership of Sanwo-Olu, and the frontline incident commander in the war against COVID-19, and also his determination in improving the learning outcomes of pupils in the public schools through the adoption of Information Communication Technology (ICT) as an instructional tool.
“Amazing testimonies from critical stakeholders in the education sector in Lagos bears testament to the efficacy of EkoExcel initiative which aims to drive excellence in learning for about 500,000 pupils across 1016 primary schools and upskilling teachers to be ICT compliant”, he said
