Date: 2018-05-20

The President of the Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki has commissioned eight-block of classrooms at Mandate Junior Secondary School, Adeta, Ilorin, the Kwara state capital. Saraki had through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) attracted the project to the beneficiary basic school.

He equally distributed instructional materials during the brief but colourful ceremony held in the school premises. Speaking through the Director General, Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) Mandate Office, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi, Saraki said the gesture was aimed at enhancing conducive learning environment for both the pupils and their teachers. He expressed optimism that the commissioning of the

project as well as the distribution of instructional materials would go a long way in ensuring the growth and development of educational institutions in the state, particularly at the basic level. Saraki said the gesture was in continuation of his intervention in the education sector and in fulfilment of his promises to the people. "This block of eight classrooms that is being delivered, to be accompanied with distribution of instructional materials to further aid learning, is a clear testimony of the priority placed on "total education" by the Senate President. "While the block of classrooms will add to the infrastructural development of the school and provide the students with conducive learning environment, the added materials will provide the students with useful learning aid for their all round development.

The Senate President believes that our educated youths are the leaders of tomorrow and gestures such as this will no doubt put the Ilorin community in the forefront of academic pursuit. "This is the reason why the Senate President has devoted huge resources through his constituency office to education programmes.

"The recent payment of JAMB fees for applicants and sponsoring of examination for Arabic students in the state is a course that Saraki is very committed to and will continue to do more on this front to uplift the educational pursuit of the people, especially those who cannot afford it due to no fault of theirs. "During the 2018 WAEC registration, the Senate President paid WAEC fees for 554 students. He also paid school fees for 47 indigent students of Kwara State Polytechnic", Abdullahi said. In her remarks, the Principal of the School, Mrs A.H. Shuaib, applauded the Senate President for his kind gesture. While pledging judicious utilisation of the facilties, the Principal expressed delight that the classrooms would assist greatly in de-congesting existing classrooms. In his bid to encourage teachers and students of Arabic education, Saraki has also donated furniture, including chairs and desks to 435 Islamiyyah schools in Kwara state. According to Saraki, the gesture was aimed at restoring the glory of Arabic Education in Ilorin and entire northern states. He added that the step taken was necessary in order to stimulate young people's interest the in Islamic Education. Saraki had through his special intervention in education sector paid the sum of N5 million examination fees for some indigents Arabic Students, Sponsored some Clerics on Da'wah and Imamship course in Cairo, Egypt. Speaking during the distribution of the furniture materials at the ABS Constituency office, Ilorin, the representative of the emir of Ilorin, Alh. Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, the Magaji Esinrogunjo urged other wealthy indigenes of the Emirate to emulate the exemplary conduct of the Senate president. He said such gestures were needed to encourage the study of Arabic education which the people of Ilorin are reputed for. He commended Saraki for always standing, supportive and encouraging the young people in the society. The traditional chief thanked the kwara political leader for giving hope to the hopeless. He charged the beneficiaries Madirasa (schools) to use the materials judiciously.