Wives of Nigerian Army personnel at the 35 Artillery Brigade Command, Alamala Barracks, Abeokuta, have inaugurated and handed over a block of seven classrooms to cater for the educational needs of children of officers in the barracks community.
The facility, a pet project of Mrs Amina Ahmed Amina, wife of the Brigade Commander, Brig. Gen. M.T. Aminu tagged, “Remodelled NAOWA Model School” was principally targeted at providing succour for children of the serving personnel who previously had to walk a distance of between five to seven kilometres before arriving at the nearest private schools in Lafenwa, Abeokuta metropolis.
It was also said to be a collective aspiration for better education for the children of the Alamala Barracks considering the essential role primary school education plays in shaping the minds and characters of future leaders.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Abeokuta, the chairperson of NAOWA, 81 Division, Mrs Zainab Mijinyawa charged army officers’ wives to always strive towards academic excellence for their children while cultivating a sense of community and social responsibility in them.
Noting that the school represented more than just a physical structure, Mrs Mijinyawa explained that it symbolises hope, opportunity and a brighter future for children of the serving personnel in the Nigerian Army.
“We are not only providing a conducive learning environment for our children, but also empowering them with the knowledge, skills and values necessary to succeed in life.
“I urge the teachers, staff and students to make good use of the facilities in the school.
Earlier, the coordinator, NAOWA, 35 Brigade, Alamala, Mrs Amina Aminu disclosed that the facility, long abandoned since 2014 as NAOWA Children Park, represented a milestone in NAOWA’s commitment to providing quality education for children.
“We conceived the idea of changing the facility into a Model School to provide for the children who had to attend private schools daily as far as Lafenwa and environs which is about 5 to 7km away.
“Presently, the building has the headteacher’s office, five classes, four toilets and a staff room that are all well-furnished to provide a conducive atmosphere for learning,” she said.
