Uchechukwu Nnaike
As part of activities marking this year’s ‘EY Gives Back Day’, Ernst & Young (EY Nigeria) recently equipped the Biology, Chemistry and Physics laboratories of Dolphin Senior High School, Sura, and donated waste bins to Boys Senior Academy, Sura, Lagos Island.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of EY, West Africa, Oluwabusiayo Layade, who led the EY team to Boys Senior Academy, stated that the EY Day was celebrated by all EY offices worldwide, and EY Nigeria used the opportunity also to commemorate the EY Gives Back Day as part of EY’s frontline project – EY Ripples.
While restating the company’s commitment to improving the quality of education and the welfare of students, he thanked the principal for the warm welcome. He encouraged teachers to remain steadfast in their duties. He advised the students to study hard to succeed without deviating from vices.
The EY team, coordinated by Eunice Obinyan, facilitated personal hygiene and environmental cleanliness talks with the students. The students received gifts for answering questions brilliantly.
The Senior Manager, Talents and Projects Coordinator, Ijeoma Ijere, described education, particularly science education, as a key focal point for EY. She said the initiative has been on since 2014.
“We work with the Education District III to let us know areas we can come in and what the needs are,” stated Ijere. “The district gave us a list of three schools, and we did the costing and settled for Dolphin Senior High School. We will move to other schools later.”
Ijere said the company also focused on environmental sustainability, like proper disposal of waste, “and we teach students too on how to act in environment-friendly manner. We expect the facilities to be used properly.”
The Permanent Secretary/Tutor General, Education District III, Dr Olufunke Oyetola, described the initiative as a great contribution to education that will enhance the teaching and learning of science subjects.
“Before this intervention by EY, it was not that there were no science laboratories, but such facilities suffer from wear and tear over a period of time, but the labs have been restored fully now with modern equipment,” said Oyetola.
Oyetola noted that education is an investment and called on other corporate bodies and individuals to come through corporate social responsibility or public-private partnerships.
The principal of Dolphin Senior High School, Tayo Akinlabi, said before the intervention by EY, the teaching of science subjects was difficult because of a lack of reagents, equipment etc.
“But now our students will record better results in their exams. We will now have 100 per cent. Before now, we record around 75 per cent results. We are happy because now the environment is more encouraging,” noted Akinlabi.
He promised to put the equipment to good use.
