By Akpan David, Calabar
The Teacher Essien Ita Itam Educational Trust Fund spends minimum of N8million per year as scholarships for 50 secondary schools students in Cross River southern district.
Chairman of the Foundation, Chief Gershom Henshaw further disclosed that the Foundation has sponsored over 400 students in the last eight years since it was established by the late wife of former director general of the State Security Service (SSS), Ekpenyong Ita, CFR, in memory of Ita’s late father who was a foremost teacher in the state.
He disclosed this in Calabar during presentations of cheques to 50 more beneficiaries from ten secondary schools.
The benefitting schools for the ensuing academic session include: West African People’s Institute, St Patrick College, Hope Training Institute, Edgerly Memorial Girls Secondary School, Mary Slessor Academy, Holy Child Sec School, Government Technical College Ikot Ibonda, Govt Secondary School Creek Town, Government secondary school Adiabo.
Henshaw said that in eight years their cheques have never bounced, assuring that they are poised to do more.
In his message to the event, the former director-general, he will sustain the benevolence started by his late wife.
“I am quite willing to do more having done so for more than 400 students in the last eight years when the Foundation was instituted. Various state governments should place higher premium on basic education by consistently intervening in the quality of teaching and learning.”
He also advocated for greater security presence in all Nigerian schools to enable pupils and students study under peaceful and secure atmosphere.
He said: “It is more important that adequate security be deployed in schools considering recent happenings in the country. Learning should not be a burden on pulpils and students, but a worthwhile experience.”
Ita spoke with reference to recent abductions of hundreds of students by terrorists, bandits and kidnappers from their schools effortlessly.
Principal of Duke Town Secondary School, Mrs Affiong Volunteer commended the benefactor,, adding that one of the beneficiaries from year one is now in his final year in University of Calabar, and has come back to do internship in his Alma Mata.
Sir Etubom Frank Edet, representing the Obong of Calabar said that even the palace is determined to promote education which reason it is also running an educational foundation.
