17 public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State have received a facelift following the remodeling and equipping of their science laboratories with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment by Governor Udom Emmanuel.
The 17 schools, which cut across the three senatorial districts in the State, were beneficiaries of modern science equipment for their Biology, Chemistry and Physics laboratories, which is set to provide the students with practical knowledge of the subjects.
The consultant in charge of the project and CEO of Pinnacle Northstars Associate Limited, Mr Aniekan Tim Umoette, who took journalists on an inspection tour of the newly furnished laboratories, explained that the sorry state of science laboratories in the secondary schools in the State moved the governor to award a contract for their refurbishing and equipment.
“When I came into Nigeria, I met the Governor and he specifically instructed me to go to find out the different schools that are lagging behind especially in science subjects and after I did, he awarded a contract to my company which refurbished the labs with state-of-the-art facilities. We have also delivered the equipment to the seventeen schools,” he said.
Teachers and students of the various benefiting institutions appreciated Governor Udom Emmanuel for investing in the education of students in secondary schools by refurbishing and equipping the science laboratories for their practical classes.
They recounted their inability to conduct practicals due to a lack of conducive and well-equipped laboratories prior to the remodeling and stated that most times, they resorted to alternatives to practicals.
The Principal of Secondary Commercial School, Iwawa Usung Eket in Ibesikpo Asutan local government area, Mr. Anietie Edet Ubiong, was certain the newly-furnished science laboratories presented by the state government would bolster the teaching of science and was optimistic the school would produce medical and engineering professionals in the future.
“I have received the science equipment sent to the school by the Akwa Ibom state government. Today, the students are using the science equipment and this will help them get acquainted with the subject as they carry out their practicals daily.
“Governor Udom Emmanuel is a promise-keeping governor. He has not only built the lab, but equipped it to the standard we would be proud of. This gesture is a reaffirmation of the high premium the government has placed on the educational sector in this state,” he stated,
For Mrs. Ekaette Matthew Inyangetor, the Chemistry teacher at Community Secondary Commercial School, Ikot Akpan Ishiet in Onna local government area, said teaching the subject was a difficult task as the practical aspect of the subject could not be conducted due to the unavailability of a standard laboratory.
She was, however, optimistic that the students would be afforded the opportunity to conduct their practicals with the new Chemistry laboratory.
“Teaching Chemistry at this school was difficult because it is a practical science, not just theory so it was not easy to make the students understand what I was teaching without showing them the practical aspect of it.
“I want to say that I am very grateful, I thank Governor Udom Emmanuel for this gesture done in our school. When the equipment were brought here, the students and the students were so happy and the whole community heard about it. I am happy and I’m ready to teach them using the apparatus given to our school.”
A student of St. Mary Science College, Ediene Abak in Abak local government area, Iboro Mandi Udom, was elated to have his practical classes at the newly-furnished Chemistry laboratory given to them by the state government.
“Our new Chemistry laboratory was just done by the state government and here in St. Mary’s, science subjects are taken seriously and with these equipment, our practicals are conducted regularly. The government has done well in providing all the laboratory instruments and equipment needed for our studies. I say a very big thank you to the Akwa Ibom government for the provision of the facilities and equipment in our school.”
Some of the schools that benefitted from the benevolence of the project include: Onna People’s High School, Abat, Onna LGA, Community Secondary Commercial School, Ikot Akpan Ishiet, Onna, Etinan Institute, Etinan LGA, St. Mary’s Science college, Ediene Abak, Abak LGA, Secondary Commercial School, Iwawa Usung Eket, Ibesikpo Asutan LGA, Community Secondary School, Oruk Anam LGA, Community Secondary Commercial School, Ikot Uso, Eket LGA, Methodist Senior Science College, Oron LGA.
