The Rotary Club of Ikeja has donated a fully constructed vocational training centre to Ikeja Junior High School in Lagos State, a move aimed at equipping students with practical skills to promote self-reliance and entrepreneurship.
The disclosure was made in a statement on Tuesday following the official inauguration of the project, which was held at the school premises.
The initiative, which falls under Education District VI, was commissioned by the Chairman of Lafarge Cement WAPCO Plc, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, alongside the District Governor of Rotary International District 9111, Dr Oluwole Kukoyi.
The building was subsequently handed over to the Lagos State Ministry of Basic Education.
The Rotary Club also disclosed that the facility would be fully equipped by its members and friends of Rotary and that it had already commenced a psychotherapy programme in the school to support behavioural development among students.
The President of the Rotary Club of Ikeja, Oluwakayode Situ, noted that the facility was designed to empower students with vocational skills in barbing, shoemaking, hairdressing, tailoring, and more, in line with Rotary International’s focus on basic education and literacy.
“If you give a man fish or bread, you have only fed him for that one time. But if you teach him how to fish or how to bake bread, then he will feed himself for life. A lot of the students come from less privileged backgrounds, and these skills will give them the means to be self-sufficient,” Situ remarked.
The Rotary Club said the initiative also aligns with the Lagos State Government’s plan to integrate vocational training into the school curriculum. Approval for the project was obtained from the Ministry of Basic Education.
Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education in Lagos State, Jamiu Balogun, represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Abisola Adegbite, described the donation as a milestone in community-driven educational development.
“The club’s outstanding efforts to serve the community, especially through this CSR initiative, are truly appreciated,” Adegbite said. “This building will enrich the lives and enhance the futures of our students.”
The District Governor, Dr Oluwole Kukoyi, applauded the Rotary Club of Ikeja for what he called a transformative project that exceeded expectations.
He emphasised that it aligns with Rotary’s mission to create a positive learning environment and empower young people through practical education.
The Chairman of Lafarge Cement WAPCO Plc, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, who officially commissioned the building, charged students to make the most of the opportunity, saying the centre would play a vital role in shaping their future and economic prospects.
The Tutor-General and Permanent Secretary of Education District VI, Mrs Mojisola Yusuf, said the training centre would foster entrepreneurship and self-reliance among students upon graduation.
In her remarks, the school’s principal, Ayo Quadri, thanked the Rotary Club and assured that the centre would be put to proper use to benefit current and future students.
